TEDxNicoletCollege Explores How Rural Communities Thrive in the 21st Century
By K. Woodzick, Editor
How Rural Communities Thrive in the 21st Century will be the topic of the inaugural TEDxNicoletCollege event that will be held in the Nicolet College Theatre on Friday, October 1st from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
“One of the themes we’ll explore is how people are making it through the pandemic,” said David Holt, Nicolet College Sociology Instructor and one of the organizers of the event.
“These will be stories from local speakers on entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, and coping and management of the crisis in a way that demonstrates how rural communities thrive in the 21st Century.”
Speakers for TEDxNicoletCollege include:
- Tom Barnett, graphic designer and illustrator
- Niina Baum, Learning Technology and Communications Specialist at Nicolet College and Co-Founder of Northwoods Young Professionals
- Jason Bertrand, Middle and High School Principal of the Laona School District
- Summer Drews, Drews Dental
- Tom Jerow, Rhinelander Area Community Garden and Rhinelander Area Food Pantry
- Ellen Mathein, Business Management Instructor at Nicolet College
- Jim Tuckwell, Chair of the Vilas County Economic Development Corporation
- Zach Vruwink, City Administrator, City of Rhinelander
Though each speaker will present their own unique story of resilience and adaptation throughout the pandemic, audiences will find points of intersection in their narratives. The event will also feature a video from the TED organization.
Ellen Mathein has focused her presentation on a common thread that has resonated with her throughout her career.
“I am excited to share with our audience one of the keys to growing a successful business, here in rural Wisconsin, or indeed in any area of the world,” she said.
“My topic of treating customers and employees like family is not only tried and true by me in running our family business, but is grounded in research. The concept is so simple, and yet so powerful!”
Local entrepreneurs, community members and anyone with an interest in storytelling are all invited to this event.
Tickets are $15 and may be purchased online at nicoletlive.com. A box lunch from CT’s Deli in Rhinelander is included. Only 100 tickets will be sold to accommodate adequate physical distancing. If tickets sell out, there will be a live stream simulcast during the event in the Northwoods Center with refreshments provided.
Doors to the Nicolet Theatre will open at 8:30 am with the first 90-minute session running from 9:00 am to 10:30 am followed by a half-hour conversation break. The second session will run from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm, followed by lunch.
Due to the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in the region, masks will be required when inside Nicolet buildings.
TED Talks have become a viral cultural phenomenon. Their origins can be traced to a conference in 1984 where “Technology, Entertainment and Design converged.” These short videos are approximately 18 minutes in length and cover almost every conceivable topic. TED Talks are available in over 100 languages.
The most popular TED Talks focus on topics such as how to live a happier life, how to encourage creativity, how to make stress your friend and how to embrace the power of vulnerability. The mission of these TED Talks aligns with the organization’s overall mission to research and discover “ideas worth spreading.”
About TEDx, x = independently organized event
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 organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes or less. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman.
The annual TED Conference takes place each spring in Vancouver, British Columbia. TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; TED Translators, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED has established The Audacious Project that takes a collaborative approach to funding ideas with the potential to create change at thrilling scale; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self-organized TED-style events around the world, and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.
Follow TED on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TED.
K. Woodzick is a life-long theatre artist and has over a decade of experience as a non-profit marketing professional and writer. They live in Woodruff with their silver lab, River.