Speakers announced, registration open for TEDxUSI happening February 26
January 22, 2026
A full lineup of speakers has been announced, and registration is now open for the University of Southern Indiana’s second annual TEDxUSI, an independently organized TEDx event, hosted by the University as part of the Core Speaker Series. This three-hour event, beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, February 26, will feature engaging talks in the Performance Center with interactive Discover USI sessions between presentations in the University Center.
Attendees can enjoy light refreshments before the event, followed by an hour of thought-provoking conversation, a break for hands-on activities and another hour of inspiring presentations. The event is open to the public at no charge; however, seating is limited, and registration is required. Those interested in attending can register at USI.edu/tedxusi.
Speakers and their respective presentations are below:
- April Nading, USI alumna, Motivational Speaker and Yoga Instructor
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- It's Not Too Late
- Lenny Dowhie, USI Professor Emeritus of Art and Director of the New Harmony Clay Project
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- Rough Cuts
- Rachel Borman, USI Respiratory Therapy Major
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- Teaching Respiratory Care in Ghana Changed How I Define Healthcare—Not as What We Have, but How We Care
- Spence Farmer, USI alum and USI Instructional Designer
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- The Card Trick Teacher
- Zachary Goldman, USI alum and Department Chair of Management and Entrepreneurship/ Director of Online Teaching and Learning at the University of Louisville
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- ABCs to MBAs – Learning and Leading in a Lifetime of AI
- Saif Abdrabu, University of Evansville Psychology Major
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- Egypt is Not Egypt in Your Textbooks
Talks will be recorded and published on the official TEDx YouTube channel, extending their impact to a global audience. For more information, visit USI.edu/tedxusi.
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, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. Our organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. We welcome people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.
TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. In addition to the TED Talks curated from our annual conferences and published on TED.com, we produce original podcasts, short video series, animated educational lessons (TED-Ed) and TV programs that are translated into more than 100 languages and distributed via partnerships around the world. Each year, thousands of independently run TEDx events. Through the Audacious Project, TED has helped catalyze $6.6 billion in funding for projects that support bold solutions to the world's most urgent challenges — working to make the world more beautiful, sustainable and just. In 2020, TED launched Countdown, an initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis and mobilize a movement for a net-zero future, and in 2023 TED launched TED Democracy to spark a new kind of conversation focused on realistic pathways towards a more vibrant and equitable future. View a full list of TED’s many programs and initiatives.