Wes Lybrand speaks at an information session for TEDx UAB. (Photo by Ian Keel).Luke Richey - Staff Writerlrichey@uab.edu
The TEDx brand is making its way to the home of the Blazers. The TEDx Club at UAB will be an on-campus association that creates talks and gatherings specifically for the UAB community. Organizers from UAB Lead, Career and Professional Development and Student Involvement and Leadership are launching the program.
TEDx is an independently-coordinated off-shoot of the popular TED talks that focus on topics like new innovations in technology, engineering and design. Programs are initiated on a community-based level while still maintaining its parental TED mission of “ideas worth spreading.”
The club is currently undergoing the licensing process with the TED brand which could take up to eight weeks, according to Wes Lybrand, Assistant Director for Career and Professional Development Services at UAB. The first talk, Road to Success, will be held April 9, 2016 and will focus around the club’s efforts to Transform – how college transforms students into more than they can be.
TEDx is not a new phenomenon in the Birmingham community. TEDxBirmingham began in 2011 and invites guest speakers and broadcasts TED talks, videos and music and fuels meaningful conversations for the Birmingham area. The TEDx Club at UAB hopes to implement this kind of community experience at the university.
“The TEDxUAB Club will be run, driven and directed by students,” said Coordinator of Leadership Programming Sean Ryan. “[The Club] will give students the opportunity to talk about their story and make students part of a family, the UAB family.”
The club’s main mission is to provide a constructive experience for UAB students through real-life success stories and engaging conversation. The coordinators of the club see many UAB students as already embodying these success stories. In their minds, some students have overcome enormous challenges to come to college, get an education and transform their lives for the better. These are the types of discussions and stories that organizers envision from the club – success stories not just from some far-off CEO, but also from here at home, at UAB.
Event speakers will gain platform experience, be able to share their stories and beef up their résumé. Attendees will see all that is happening around UAB and meet people just like them who will share their experiences, accomplishments and insights.
“The club is designed to provide students’ opportunities for their success,” Lybrand said. “Students want to experience.”
TEDxUAB club is structured into three committees: the internal committee, the external committee and the production committee. Students who wish to join the club, depending on their talents or preferences, can choose which aspect of the event most appeals to them.
The requirements to join the club are having a GPA higher than 2.5, sending a resumé to Bsync and attending a committee meeting. Students should also be able to complete all tasks assigned in a prompt fashion, devote time to the club and may be subject to an interview.
Club coordinators want to reiterate that the TEDx Club at UAB is not TEDxBirmingham.
“TEDxBirmingham is focused on Birmingham,” Ryan said. “Our club is focused on students.”
“[The Club] is a good and positive thing for UAB and our community,” Sasha Kasman, a junior music major at UAB said.
“It seems interesting,” Teresa Davis, a senior English major said. “My concern could be that topics may not be inclusive for all students. We need to have things that will matter for more than just a small percentage of the university.”
All in all, club organizers want to have a real TED-like feel to the UAB events, which includes incorporating a mainstage-type platform that can seat 125 to 150 people and has an unlimited amount of speakers. Club coordinators want to focus on transforming the UAB mindset while also reminding students about the close-knit ties of the UAB family.
