April 17, 2013
Ideas, innovation and inspiration abound at Xavier
TEDx event channeling local leaders
By Libby Cunningham, Community Manager, Channel 9 News
CINCINNATI - Judging by the claps and cheers in the audience, Xavier University’s event that aimed to ignite passion and inspire minds succeeded.
About 100 people filled a room at the university’s Cintas Center for TEDx Xavier University on April 17th.They heard and learned from performers, professors and students during the four hour event full of ideas worth spreading.
What is TEDx?
Technology, entertainment and design conferences started in California in 1990 and have united people in cities across the country ever since.
Wednesday’s TEDx is the second Xavier has held. Cincinnati has had a TEDx delegation for two years, said TEDx Cincinnati Organizer Jami Edelheit.
“Basically what it is,it’s spreading ideas, it doesn’t just relate to (technology, entertainment and design,” she said. “It’s bringing the most innovative, creative people together. It’s sharing ideas in a short format.” At Xavier’s event the importance of generosity, surprises and moving past failure were discussed. The ideas were shared across different mediums, including speaking, performance and music.
About 50 student volunteers organized the event, with student Nicholas Turon leading the group.
Who shared at TEDx?
From students to a Capella singing groups, the stage lit up with local leaders talking about what Cincinnatians can do to make a difference.
Jason Hauer, of The Garage Group, spoke about the importance of business innovation, no matter how big or small, coming from company leaders.
“If a company wants to drive innovation and be more entrepreneurial it has to start from the top leaders,” Hauer explained. “And it’s really, really critical that top leaders at organizations start recognizing that it is up to them to create the environment. It’s not going to happen sustainably if the top leader doesn’t set a vision and enact it.”
Students also took the stage, including Xavier singing groups AcaBellas and 8vb.
The performers weren’t the only Musketeers with a message. Xavier student Owen Raisch approached the audience, challenging them to tear down the wall between society and youth.
Raisch is part of the Greater Cincinnati Independent Business Alliance and works with fellow students to get the word out about local businesses. “I was asked to do this from the group of students I’ve been working with, I think they like what I’ve been doing with Xavier to put on these classes where we engage local businesses,” he explained. "Kids, a lot of the time, die down. But what I’ve seen from this, it’s not all of them. A lot of them are all over it.”