Ideas worth spreading
TEDxWallaWallaUniversity
Walla Walla University held its first TEDx event in April 2016. Seven faculty and student speakers presented talks on the theme “Turning Points.” Read about each presenter and find links to their talks below.
Acacia Chan
"My Struggle with Authentic Identity Expression on Social Media and How I Solved It"
Acacia Chan is a senior Biblical languages major and psychology minor at Walla Walla University. She is a Greek grader and tutor, known by some as the “Greek Goddess.” For three years, she has been a member of the WWU Ethics Bowl Team. She is currently applying to graduate schools in the area of New Testament studies and hopes to be a university professor someday. Her many passions include BBC’s Sherlock, counted cross-stitch, and murder mysteries. She is a complicated individual, who hopes that you’ll enjoy watching her talk about identity.
Heather Ruiz
"What You Should Know Before Your Next Volunteer Trip"
Heather Ruiz is a journalist, activist, and humanitarian. She spent thirteen months in rural North Africa investigating and designing sustainable service. Heather's efforts helped create the first community co-op school in Mauritania, and she used music and English classes in two other schools as a successful platform to expand paradigms beyond the social caste system mentality. Her article "Voluntourism: More Harm Than Good" generated a global discourse about responsible service and thousands of shares.
Katie Heinrich
"Welcome to Failing Gracefully In A World Content with Mediocrity"
Katie Heinrich is a Junior at Walla Walla University with a double major in History and English. She was on the Walla Walla University Ethics Bowl ream for one year as well as co-pastor for a student led church service on campus known as Circle Church under the direction of Campus Ministries. Through Personal growth experiences she has learned that failing is not only key to living a happy and successful life, but being able to fail gracefully by taking control of your self perception is what has the potential to enable one to live abundantly.
Linda Ivy
"Why We Don't Appreciate New Information"
Linda has been teaching psychology for about 15 years, most of them at Walla Walla University. She has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Oregon, where most of her research involved social cognition—how people think about themselves and other people. Linda has a son who is in the US Coast Guard, a brilliant daughter-in-law, and a whiny 8-year-old Australian Shepherd. She enjoys hiking, rafting, and reading about lots of interesting things.
Madeleine Boyson
"How the Isolation of Chronic Illness Changed My Perception of The Social Media Community"
Madeleine Boyson is an undergraduate studying history at Walla Walla University. After being diagnosed with Lyme in 2014, she studied art history for a semester at Oxford, eventually returning home for extensive antibiotic treatment and IV therapy. Madeleine has become intimately acquainted with the isolating effects of a disease that is both neglected medically and confining physically. Though she’s still in treatment, Madeleine is an advocate on social media for Lyme and other invisible diseases; she sits on WWU’s ADA Committee and the local Amnesty International leadership team; and she writes for WWU’s newspaper The Collegian.
Niqolas Ruud
"The Art of Alone: Intentional Solitude"
Niqolas Ruud, originally from Portland, Oregon, is a freshman at Walla Walla University. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and attended Upper Columbia Academy during his high school years. Niqolas, currently working towards a B.A. in Theology, aims to be either a missionary, pastor, teacher, or chaplain. He says that intentional solitude has greatly benefited him as he strives to become a more positive and successful individual. During his free time, Niq enjoys “rowdy things” like alpinism, kayaking, ice hockey, and singing a cappella music.
Timothy Golden
"Suffering in Silence: The Emotional Abuse of Men"
Timothy J. Golden is Professor of Philosophy, Legal Studies Program Coordinator, and Director of the Donald Blake Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Culture at Walla Walla University. His areas of specialization are 19th and 20th Century European Philosophy, African-American Philosophy/Critical Race Theory, and Philosophy of Religion/Philosophical Theology. He is the author of two books currently under contract and the editor of two other books, also under contract. He teaches courses at WWU in each of his areas of specialization. Dr. Golden's career in academic philosophy is his second career. He has also been a criminal defense lawyer in Philadelphia, Pa. His law degree is from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and his Ph.D. in philosophy is from the University of Memphis. He enjoys acting and cooking.
Watch Timothy's TEDxWallaWallaUniversity presentation.