Meet Our 2025 Speakers
Nico Kazlauskas
Weaving Webs of Influence
Nico is a Sophomore, Visual Art Education major from Naperville, IL. Nico wanted to become involved with TEDx as he believes sharing ideas with others is an important part of life that allows people to connect.
Megan Barta
From Piano to Prison: Mastering Precense
Megan is a Senior Psychology major from northern California. Megan is excited to share about how her time at Hope has been one long lesson in presence; how to be involved but not overcommitted, learning and taking advantage of the opportunities.
Macy Granville
Are Today's Young Athletes Really Winning?
Macy is a Sophomore, Secondary English Education major from Sugar Land, TX. She attended the event last year and felt inspired to talk about something that’s very real for her and her family in hopes.
Griffin Bloch
Flipping the Narrative on Learning Disabilities
Griffin is a Junior from Clinton Township, Michigan studying political science. He wants to share his story to the world and to show that someone with a learning disability can be successful. The system of education CAN change to fit students with learning disabilities learning styles.
Confiance Mbuyu
The Mirror in the Classroom:
Why Black Male Teachers Matter
Confiance is a Senior from Holland, MI studying Secondary Education and Leadership. Inspiried by his favorite TED Talk, he was inspired his to advocate for himself, his community and those who are still finding their voice.
Ally Guffey
Rehumanizing the Person Behind the Sign
Ally is a Junior studying Psychology from Zeeland, MI. Her favorite thing about Hope is that it’s the perfect size to connect and get to know people well. She is excited to use this platform to inspire others to truly see their neighbors with love.
Emilia Portelli
Why Fitting in is a Recipe for Failure
Emilia is a Sophomore Global Studies major from Las Vegas, NV. She believes TEDxHopeCollege provides an empowering platform to share ideas that truly matter. She wants to connect with a larger audience while still making an impact within her local Hope community.
Danya Ortiz
The Other Side of the American Dream
Danya is a Sophomore Communication major from Holland, MI. She is passionate about her talk because she has always said she wanted to be the voice her parents never had, and this was a great opportunity to finally share their story.
Ashley Lauraine
Education Needs More Glue and Less Google
Ashley is a Senior studying Biology from Holland, MI. She is a very passionate person, with a strong drive to share her ideas. One of her greatest passions is education, and she believes that TEDx is a great platform to share her experiences and start meaningful conversations.