Before making the leap to UNC-Chapel Hill, my academic journey had been a whirlwind of university hopping during the initial two years of undergrad. It felt like I was running out of cards to play, faced with the pivotal decision of whether to remain in design school or seek a new path.
Transitioning to a new university meant embracing a fresh campus and a brand new crowd. One of my foremost objectives was to immerse myself in an environment filled with motivated, passionate individuals who brought unique perspectives to the table. This quest eventually led me to the captivating world of TEDx.
TED, short for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, serves as a dynamic platform for thought leaders to challenge conventional thinking and inspire transformative action. Before officially settling in Chapel Hill, I attended a TEDxUNC student speaker event and conference. The atmosphere was electrifying, where all majors were on equal footing, and diversity thrived. It was a place where passion reverberated through every conversation and no two individuals looked or thought alike. I left that event convinced that TEDx was where I belonged.
That summer, I embarked on a captivating journey as a multimedia team member, collaborating with three other like-minded individuals. My role encompassed photography and videography to document and promote various TEDx-related events, including salons, pop-ups, and workshops. Additionally, I was responsible for capturing headshots that would serve as potent tools for social media marketing.
Among the projects I spearheaded, two stand out:
- A welcome back video, thoughtfully crafted from clips depicting student experiences over the summer. This video served as an exhilarating kickoff to the academic year, setting the stage for returning Tar Heels.
- A stirring spoken word video, penned and performed by the talented Kat Tan. This piece of art added a unique dimension to our TEDx endeavors, captivating audiences and sparking meaningful conversations.
2014 Taking Flight
2015 Bodies: Being Human
Topic: Exploring the human body through interdisciplinary perspectives, including art, athletics and science.
Speakers: Cirque de Vol, Que Rico, Kyle Krieger, Ali Rudel, Ariana Page Russell, Corinne Fisher & Krystyna Hutchinson, David Linden, Hans Florine, Jeff Powell, Kim Lan Grout, Madrid K. Danner-Smith, Naomi Roochnik, Omar Ali, Sarah McShane, Stephanie Guerrero, Stephanie Zerwas
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Jan Mactal | Design + Marketing 
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