As a subsect of the TED talk series, TEDx brings the spirit of sharing ideas to local communities through its independently organized events. Here at Villanova, these conferences are a part of TEDxVillanovaU. This organization is dedicated to providing a way for the local Villanova community to spread ideas and stories. TEDxVillanovaU raises discussions that bring our campus together and embodies the value of community.

This spring, TEDxVillanovaU is hosting an event in April, which all of the members of the organization are working hard to prepare for. Junior Dexter Fernandes is president of TEDxVillanovaU. He reflected on his participation in TEDxVillanovaU, describing the organization’s purpose and its importance to the local Villanova community. 

“TEDxVillanovaU is an on-campus organization that provides a platform to Villanova students, faculty, staff and alumni to share their stories and perspectives with the greater Villanova community and beyond,” Fernandes said. “Our mission is to share ideas worth spreading, spark necessary conversations and ignite positive change on and off campus.” 

Additionally, Fernandes highlighted the importance of diversity and inclusion in this organization. He touched upon the mission of TEDxVillanovaU, particularly in the spirit of lifting up marginalized voices. 

“We strive to be an inclusive and diverse organization as we empower the valuable voices of those who may not normally be heard on campus and work alongside other organizations on campus to shape what it means to be a Villanovan,” Fernandes said.

With each TEDxVillanovaU event, there are many speakers who share their stories and experiences with audience members. These speakers touch on a variety of topics and represent the spirit of diversity Fernandes stressed the importance of. Fernandes discussed the role of speakers in the TEDxVillanovaU organization and what their role is in the organization’s conferences. 

“Our speakers each tell a different story about who they are, what they believe in and where they come from,” Fernandes said. “We are not trying to find one speaker with one story, but speakers from different communities within Villanova.”

For its upcoming event, TEDxVillanovaU is hosting a conference on April 24. Fernandes discussed who will be speaking at the conference and what topics will be discussed. In describing the event, Fernandes reflected on the diversity of the topics discussed, once again showing this organization’s dedication to sharing different perspectives. 

“Our speakers will consist of Villanova students, professors and alumni,” Fernandes said. “A wide variety of topics will be discussed ranging from DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) on campus, the power of mentorship and the nature of our Creator.”

Fernandes also highlighted some of the more whimsical aspects of the event, sharing some of the participants in the event who will give the conference a fun twist. 

“Our event will also have dance performers and a magician,” Fernandes said.

In order to put together this TEDx conference, the members of TEDxVillanovaU have worked hard to put together the speakers, discussion topics and more into creating this conference. Fernandes expresses not only his appreciation for his team members, but also his enthusiasm for the upcoming event. 

“We are very excited for our event, and our team members are putting tremendous efforts into making it a success,” Fernandes said. 

The TEDxVillanovaU event will be very successful, in large part due to the efforts of Fernandes and his fellow team members.