The free event, themed “Seas of Change,” explored innovative, resilient and courageous responses to the uncharted waters in today’s society. The eight speakers spanned Bay Area nonprofit leaders as well as faculty from SFSU and the Cal Poly Maritime Academy covering topics such as addressing the housing crisis by building tiny homes, labor unions, artificial intelligence, branding, mental health and restorative justice. Magician Mike Toy (M.A., ’11) served as emcee.
Volunteers included Liza Kucherova, a senior in Marketing who implemented a multichannel marketing campaign and created the event’s web page. MBA student Alson Cheong played recruited other student volunteers and led a team that secured RSVPs and ran the check-in table.
“One of the main reasons I wanted to get involved is to serve our community and bring TEDx to San Francisco State. I also want to get valuable experience in event planning,” said Cheong, who serves as a Lam Family College of Business ambassador and is also studying for a Pre-Law certificate. “This experience really helped me see all the procedural steps that it takes to get an event like this done.”
The “TEDx at SF State” was made possible in part through the support of SFSU’s Lam-Larsen Student Engagement Initiative and sponsored by SFSU’s Lam Family College of Business (LFCoB). LFCoB staff also provided behind-the-scenes support to the student volunteers.
“LFCoB was delighted to sponsor the event,” LFCoB Dean Eugene Sivadas said. “Our college is global in aspiration and reach, but draws its strength from the communities we serve. It was a pleasure to bring interesting and diverse viewpoints for the benefit of our students and the larger community we serve.”