Millions of people have tuned into TED talks, a prolific series of online presenters talking about their passions. In March, The College of William & Mary will host its own TED event, designed to spark conversation and connections.
TEDxCollege of William & Mary is an independently organized event licensed by TED, a nonprofit organization devoted to “ideas worth spreading.” TED began as a four-day conference 26 years ago; now, its website features a wide range of speakers asked to give “the talk of their lives” for 18 minutes. Past speakers have included former United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown, anthropologist Jane Goodall, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and product and interior designer Philippe Starck.
The Williamsburg event will feature TEDTalks videos, along with live speakers. It will be open to the public, but due to limited space, tickets will be distributed through a lottery system to students, faculty and staff. Community members will be invited to watch a live stream of the event in the Commonwealth Auditorium of the Sadler Center. Events prior to and following the show will be open to the public and do not require tickets.
Organizers have not yet announced a line-up of speakers, but plan to announce the speakers and registration information in February.
The program, called “Historically Innovative,” will be held in the Brinkley Commons of William & Mary’s Mason School of Business in Miller Hall. Prior to the show, a networking event will be held, including an expo for student groups, local nonprofits and businesses. An after-party is also being planned.
Speakers can apply or be nominated and the TEDx team welcomes volunteers. To get involved, email [email protected].
