“It’s really just an invitation toward a mind shift. My hope was not even inviting people to change but getting people to consider that there is… a different perspective,” Harris said. “(Speaking at TEDxMarshall) is one of the coolest things, professionally, I’ve ever been a part of. The process really made me grow and it challenged me, but it supported me at the same time.”
Since publication on Saturday, Sept. 27, Harris’ talk has been viewed nearly 30,000 times, making it one of TEDxMarshallU’s most watched talks. If you would like to watch his full TEDx Talk, as well as the other talks from the 2025 “Beyond Borders” event, you can find the YouTube playlist at www.tedxmarshallu.com.
The TEDxMarshallU team is now accepting pitches of TEDx talk ideas, from both the public and Marshall University students, for the eighth annual TEDxMarshallU event, “Inspired Independence,” which will take place from 7 p.m. till 9 p.m. Friday, March 6, 2026, at the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center.
This year’s theme explores the power of independence — what it means to think freely, act boldly, and rise above the status quo with a vision for something greater. “Inspired Independence” is rooted in strength, leadership, ingenuity and bravery, celebrating the many paths people take to claim their freedom — whether through triumph, struggle or a single transformative moment.
TEDxMarshallU invites speakers to the red circle to share stories that spark new ideas and empower others to pursue their own journey. From financial freedom to personal growth, from the lessons of failure, defeat and loss to the courage of quiet voices, the goal is to ignite conversations that move all toward a future shaped by more voices, more ideas and possibilities and more “Inspired Independence.”
The pitch process for the public includes submitting a three-minute video that includes who you are, your idea, a story or example that illustrates this idea, and an explanation of what the world would look like if your idea was implemented. Pitches will be accepted until 5 p.m. (EDT) Oct. 31. Marshall students interested in submitting a pitch can submit a video or can register to be one of ten students selected to share their three-minute pitch live at our Student Pitch Event from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Nov.6, 2025, in Room 105, Corbly Hall. For more information, please visit www.tedxmarshallu.com.
This year’s student team consists of five student interns from the Marshall University Honors College who are excited to explore the stories of “Inspired Independence” and be active in this student-led, faculty-mentored, independently organized event.
Demi Olin: co-organizer/curation coordinator
Brooke Rood: event manager/sponsorships, purchasing and budgeting manager
Piper Cook: communications director/social media manager
Katie McIntyre: designer/ticketing and promotions manager
Gabriella Sevilla: student audio visual lead
“I am honored to be part of the student team for this TEDx event and excited to see the inspiring ideas that will come to our red circle,” said Demi Olin, co-organizer and curation coordinator. “My hope is to help curate an event that not only sparks inspiration but also redefines what independence means and how to accomplish such.”
Additional information is available by contacting Piper Cook, Communications Director, at cookpi@marshall.edu or 304-732-1101.
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Additional information about the event can be found at www.tedxmarshallu.com.
TEDxMarshallU is also on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. About TEDx, x = independently organized event
About TEDx
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)
About TED
TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events bring people together to share ideas and bridge divides in communities on every continent. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze more than $3 billion in funding for projects that seek to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.
Follow TED on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X.