On Saturday, Oct. 11, the Olin Arts Center hosted “TEDxBates College,” an independently organized TED event with the theme “The Unasked Questions.” The day’s events included presentations by seven different presenters, four of which were Bates students. 

“TEDxBates College is a locally organized TED event dedicated to bold ideas, transformative storytelling, and meaningful dialogue,” according to the event’s website.

This year’s theme, ‘The Unasked Questions’ featured a speaker panel that included Bates students along with gusset speakers. The discussion sought to tackle the “conversations we often avoid but need the most.” 

TED, a non-profit dedicated to spreading ideas that spark “conversation, deepen understanding, and drive meaningful change” through events, media and business. The non-profit’s offshoot, TEDx, allows local leaders to use the TED license in independently organized events that bring together local thought leaders. 

Bates’ evening of events was organized by Sebenele Lukhele ‘26 and Axelle Tougouma ‘27 with support from others. 

The student speakers included Benjamin Wolking ‘27, Hazel Glazer ‘28, Mohamed Al-jabry ‘28 and Nur Aga Rajaie ‘27. Invited speakers included Dr. Elisabeth Marnik, director of science education at MDI Biological Laboratory; Joey Pinz, a podcaster, author, tech founder, entrepreneur and behavior design educator; and Dr. Shubhra Sharma, entrepreneur and faculty lecturer at Lacy School of Business at Butler University.

The evening covered a range of topics including competing and living in the face of radical uncertainty, intentional discipline, celebrating difference while finding common ground, aloneness and healing, unuttered thoughts and sparking conversations. 

Glazer, whose presentation focused on anticipatory grief, spoke to the organization process.  “The organizing committee was very, very good at giving feedback. They were super communicative throughout the entire process, and made all of the speakers feel as welcome and supportive as possible,” she said. 

Overall, Glazer felt that the event was a success. “The guest speakers…were incredibly proud of how not only they did but the other speakers at the event, everybody was able to come together communally, to just rev each other up, make sure everything was sorted,” she said.

Glazer continued, “It was incredible to see all these other speakers being given the exact same prompt, same words, same setup, same everything and have such different results and outcomes that reflect not only who they are, but who they want to be.”

When asked if there was a future for TEDx events at Bates, Glazer replied, “In the future, there’s definitely going to be another event; they’re working on potentially doing another one next year, if not two years from now.”

“You don’t get the opportunity to speak on anything you want to an audience of hundreds just any day,” Glazer said of the uniqueness of the event.