TEDxUNO Announced for February 2015

OMAHA – Beginning in 2015, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) will be the home of the inaugural TEDxUNO event, one of the first TEDx university events in the state of Nebraska and one of the few that exist in the region.

Officially launching today, TEDxUNO is issuing a call for speakers for the first public event for the new series, which will take place on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015 in the Strauss Performing Arts Center on the UNO Dodge Campus.

As the first of what will be an annual event, more than a dozen speakers and performers will present stories and ideas based on the theme of “Community.” Specific presentations will touch on how we can interact with communities locally, nationally and globally, and the impact that interaction can have.

“As a metropolitan institution, UNO has a significant investment in the community that surrounds it,” said Ben Jager, TEDxUNO organizer and UNO’s Associate Director of Student Activities and Milo Bail Student Center. “For this reason, we want to highlight the outstanding work being done by UNO faculty, staff, students, and alumni and how it contributes to the already groundbreaking community efforts in Omaha and beyond. TEDxUNO will show how Mavericks do Community.”

Those interested in contributing to the first TEDxUNO program, or learning more about the day’s events, can do so at http://www.unomaha.edu/tedxuno.

The announcement comes on the heels of TEDxOmaha’s 2014 event, which was held Saturday, Oct. 25. This year’s TEDxOmaha included performances and presentations from UNO alumni Bart Vargas and Kaitlyn Hova.

TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, was launched in 1984 and over the past three decades has spread across the world as one of the leaders in open discussion and dialogue.

TEDx events are independent and community-driven; there have been more than 10,000 TEDx events in 163 different countries.

The upcoming TEDxUNO event will be open to the public and will feature a wide variety of topics from speakers of all backgrounds and experiences.

“The need to belong to something is deeply ingrained in us as human beings,” Jager said. “There is a community out there for us all, even if it means rethinking the entire idea of what Community is. From marathons to medicine and festivals to faith, we hope that those in attendance will find a new community they can connect with or at the very least, walk away with a sense of the transformative power of Community.”

Announcements naming speakers for the Feb. 28 event will be made on Dec. 8, 2014, with tickets going on sale same day.

Questions about TEDxUNO can be directed to Ben Jager at 402.554.2768 or bjager@unomaha.edu.

Media requests should be directed through Charley Reed, UNO Media Relations Coordinator, at 402.554.2129 or unonews@unomaha.edu.

Questions about the TED organization should be directed to Melody Serafino, TEDx Media Liason, at TEDxPR@groupsjr.com.

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, along with the TEDActive simulcast event in nearby Whistler. The annual TEDGlobal conference will be held this October in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. TED's media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world get help translating their wishes into action; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self- organized TED-style events around the world, and the TED Fellows program, helping 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.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

Become a fan of UNO on Facebook: www.facebook.com/unomaha and follow UNO's Twitter updates at http://twitter.com/unomaha.