Mercyhurst should host a TED event. I’m sure many of the readers have heard of this organization, but for those that haven’t, I will explain it. “TED” is an acronym for “To Encourage Discussion” and the organizations hosts and posts online talks concerning various ideas from all stretches of life. There are talks from linguists, mathematicians, defense strategists, even students talking about ways to reform the grading systems of the local school. They can be big and broad, such as the effects of texting on language, or minute, such as a way to solve the problems within a particular community.

I firmly believe that Mercyhurst should host one of these events because we have the ability to do so. The organization gives licenses to universities who wish to host these events, and I want to apply for it. This school has a vast quantity of academics and intelligent students who have ideas they are willing to discuss.

I don’t know if anyone has done this (and if you haven’t, I highly suggest doing it), but if you ask your teachers about what they’ve done for academic research, you will hear the passion your professors have for their subjects. This passion is contagious, and it exists among the students as well. So, why shouldn’t we share this passion and enthusiasm with the rest of the world via the internet?

There are many forms of service, and one way of serving the community is education. Students may not be able to go and teach classes on the topics they love, but they can at least give them some light. The topics can be wide and we may be unable to actually give them tons of time, but we can put them out there and have people discuss them.

It would be a boon to this school for us to be seen as advancing academia and public discourse by means of these ideas which I know exist on this fine campus. For all students or faculty who are interested, please send me an email at nturne06@lakers.mercyhurst.edu with your name, subject, and the talk you’d want to give.

Rest assured, however, if I know you and I don’t get an email from you, I will come and ask you personally if you would be willing to give a talk on a certain topic. I look forward to hearing from all those interested.