Theme: Resilience

TEDxUniversityofMississippi will mount its 6th annual event to spark discussions in the community and promote positive change. 9 speakers will take the Stage at the Ford Center on the Ole Miss campus at 7 PM on Tuesday, March 9th to discuss varied perspectives and new research regarding Resilience. From sports and psychology to economy and substance recovery, these speakers will make you think about our ability to bounce back individually and collectively. Tickets are free, but reservations are required. Call 1-662-915-7411.

Ford Center for the Performing Arts
351 University Address
University, Mississippi, 38677
United States

Christopher S. Hunter

Architectural Historian

Dr. Christopher Scott Hunter is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at Mississippi State University. An architectural historian, his research focuses on socio-cultural influences on the design and construction of early African American church buildings in the United States. Though many researchers have explored African American history and the civil rights movement, less attention has been paid “to the actual buildings that housed the events and hosted the people.”

Coach Chris Cutcliffe & Dr. Hunter Taylor

Sports Organization & Education

Chris Cutcliffe is head football coach at Oxford High School. Dr. Hunter Taylor is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Recruiter for the Mississippi Teacher Corps. In fall 2017, Cutcliffe and Taylor began to collaborate on ways to turn OHS football into an organization that has lasting impact on its members. Using improvement science methods, they worked to create a family culture, develop future leaders and maximize the program’s on-field potential. In 2019, the OHS football team won a 6A state championship, the first in its history. They will share their methods for creating a Thick Institution.

David Magee

Award Winning Columnist & Author

David Magee is an Award Winning Writer and the Director of Institutional Advancement in the University of Mississippi Office of Development. Magee currently works to change the lives of college students. His role as a change-maker in student behavior and wellness solutions started because of his son – an Honors College student and track athlete – who died of an accidental drug overdose not long after graduation. The William Magee Center on the Ole Miss campus is named in his son’s honor.

Elijah Mudryk

Intercultural Research

Elijah Mudryk is a doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Mississippi. His lab's findings on cultural integration have advised the federal leaders of a racial reconciliation program in British Columbia, Canada. His talk will draw from three personal experiences: his work with Syrian refugees in Canada, his graduate research on Black psychology, and his research into meaning-making by LGBT groups. By exploring the resilience of different social groups he shows how we can learn from them and grow from what we share in common.

Jon Maynard

Economic Development Advocate

Jon Maynard is President and CEO of the Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation and Chamber of Commerce. EDF is a public-private partnership with a mission to lead, innovate, and create opportunities for responsible economic investment that raises the per capita income for all citizens of Lafayette County in Mississippi. Maynard is an advocate for creating economic development by supporting ecosystems rather than subsidizing large industrial locations.

Kritika Gupta

Nutritional Research

Kritika Gupta, is a Ph.D student in Nutrition at the University of Mississippi. Gupta is passionate about child nutrition, school wellness policies, science communication, and mental health. Her research project aims to understand the resilience capacity of school food environments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her talk will emphasize that the pandemic has only “re-emphasized an already existing, horrific need for building hunger-resilient communities.”

Marcela Weber

Traumatic Event and Disaster Preparedness Researcher

Marcela Weber is a University of Mississippi Ph.D. Candidate in Psychology. Weber is completing a clinical psychology internship in Albuquerque, providing mental health services to veterans and pediatric polytrauma survivors such as children involved in motor vehicle accidents. She has published eight articles and book chapters on psychological resilience in the context of traumatic events ranging from child abuse to disasters. Her talk will explore the connection between psychological resilience and preparedness.

Michael Wade

Verteran Advocate

Michael Wade is a Military Science Instructor at the University of Mississippi. An 18-year active-duty veteran and developer of the Ole Miss Army ROTC Cadet-Students’ Academic Adviser Guide & Workshop, Wade hopes his presentation will help people understand how they can better support and communicate with veterans returning from active duty.