On March 22, seven different professionals took to the stage of Montezuma Hall to present TED talks at TEDxSDSU. 

In honor of this year’s theme of ‘Illuminate,’ speakers shared moments of revelation, personal truth and moments where everything just ‘clicks.’Illuminate is about uncovering personal truths and revelation, and “the moments when something finally clicks,” according toTEDxSDSU.  

With around 200 guests, the event garnered a wide audience, from students to professionals, for the opportunity to connect with speakers, according to TEDxSDSU Marketing Officer Olivia Delucchi.

TEDxSDSU is an annual event that has taken place since 2013, with new speakers selected annually based on their stories and experiences. TEDx is an independently organized program that is licensed by TED, and was designed to allow speakers to share their inspiring stories locally at TEDxSDSU.

“Illuminate is the kind of theme where you can fit in a lot of different talks,” Kudchiwala said. “Everyone’s from different worlds, but Illuminate brings us together because we all have that one moment that changes our life and shows us a new path.” 

Out of 200 applicants, Maddie Van Boerum, a first-year student majoring in international business and Spanish, was in charge of making sure the team found the right speakers for the event. 

“We were looking for speeches that we felt had a message that applied to our college audience, and a message that was something people could take away and learn from,” Van Boerum said. 

Opening speaker Dave Guttman, an entrepreneur and successful businessman, has bought and sold over 15 businesses and raised over $25 million in capital, according to TEDxSDSU.

Guttman had shared his story of getting diagnosed with stage four cancer at the age of 24, only for it to be a cyst all along. During these turns of events, he had vowed to make every moment in life matter by showing up for the people around him, he said.

“The measure of life isn’t what you build, it’s who you leave better,” he said. “I was so fortunate. I got my wake-up call while I still had most of my life ahead of me. Most people don’t get that lucky.”

Similarly, leadership strategist Sona Jepson explored how perceived limitations can shape and restrict what people believe is possible.

Jepson spoke on breaking the boundaries of “impossible,” drawing from her experience of cultural expectations growing up in India, as well as her husband’s illness. 

“When we say something is impossible, we are rarely naming a fact; we are naming a limit in our thinking,” Jepson said. “More often than not, when you look closely at the wall in front of you, you’ll start to see the outline of a door.” 

Shifting from science to personal development, the following speaker addressed how growth happens in everyday environments.

Assistant Professor at New York University and cell biologist Roy Maimon spoke on how the human brain, once believed to be incapable of regeneration, might hold untapped potential through dormant stem cells. He researches emerging techniques that could one day enable the brain to repair itself, offering a new solution to treating neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington’s Disease or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

“It is the duty of our generation to overcome what once seemed impossible and find a way to regenerate the brain,” Maimon said. 

Ujwal Arkalgud, an anthropologist and entrepreneur, spoke on how unseen cultural norms quietly shape the decisions we believe are possible. He urged his audience to recognize the “invisible architecture” that he believes confines society into such restricting norms, and for people to break free and create intentional, self-defined choices.

Delucchi, next year’s president of TEDxSDSU, is looking to grow the team in order to put on a bigger production that reaches more students. 

“As college students, this is a very transformative point in our lives and I think if students hear these speakers, they might connect with them,” Delucchi said. “I really want the student body to hear their ideas and then hopefully be motivated by them.”