Valerie Babb is a Franklin Professor of English and director of the Institute for African American Studies. She has been a professor at Georgetown University and a faculty member of the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College. Among her publications are Whiteness Visible: The Meaning of Whiteness in American Literature and Culture, Black Georgetown Remembered, and A History of the African American Novel. She has been a Scholar-in-Residence at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and is the recipient of a W. M. Keck Foundation Fellowship in American Studies. She has lectured extensively in the United States and presented a Distinguished W. E. B. Du Bois Lecture at Humboldt University in Berlin. In her talk, Dr. Babb examines how our American ideals are being threatened by narratives of fear.

Dr. Keith Campbell is the Head of the Department of Psychology. He holds a BA from the University of California at Berkeley, an MA from San Diego State University, and a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Campbell is the author of more than 150 scientific articles and chapters, and multiple books regarding narcissism. His work on narcissism has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, and Time, and he has made numerous radio and television appearances. His talk addresses the complex implications of narcissism and illustrates how we can harness its power and avoid failing under its influence.

Dr. Leah Carmichael is a professor in the Department of International Affairs. She received her PhD in International Affairs from the University of Georgia and her BA from Guilford College. Her research agenda focuses on food insecurity related to domestic policies, international law, and weapons of warfare. Dr. Carmichael’s talk addresses how the international laws that are often ignored can be upheld by the values of many.

Dr. Kamal Gandhi is a forest entomologist and an associate professor at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. She received her PhD from the University of Minnesota and M.S. from the University of Alberta. Dr. Gandhi has 20 years of experience in teaching as well as conducting research and outreach activities on many facets of community and population ecology of forest insects. Dr. Gandhi is heavily involved in policy issues and spends time in Washington D.C. working with many state and federal agencies to advocate for science and research. Her talk addresses our vital relationships with forests and the incredible threat that non-native species pose to them.

Carolyn Crist is a freelance journalist based in Athens, specializing in health, science, and travel stories. She is also an adjunct journalism professor at Grady College and co-owns Pixel & Ink Studio, a design and print company in Athens. She graduated from Grady College in 2010 with a bachelor’s in newspapers and 2014 with a master’s in health and medical journalism. You can find her work in consumer and trade publications such as Anesthesiology News, Reuters, and Paste Magazine. Her talk explores how millennials are escaping the confines of the 9-to-5 by embracing flexibility, freelancing, and work-life balance.

Bart Newman is the Chief Operating Officer for Thrive Farmers International. He earned a BA from the University of Georgia, an MA in Management, Economics & International Relations from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and a JD from the University of Georgia School of Law. Bart’s professional experience began in the US Army where he rose to the rank of Captain and completed a one-year tour in Baghdad, Iraq. Upon returning from Iraq, he wrote the book Because of Baghdad: What a Father Would Say About Life, if He Didn’t Come Home to Say It. Before joining Thrive, he served as a transactional attorney for a large Atlanta law firm. In his talk, Bart emphasizes how crucial it is for us to not waste the most valuable resource we have during our lives and time, and explains how he knows firsthand just how much we might regret not having our priorities straight on what truly matters to us.

Darius Phelps is a Lead Teacher at UGA’s Child Development Lab at the McPhaul Center. Darius earned a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences and is currently pursuing his master’s Degree in Reading Education with an emphasis in Children’s Literature & Language Arts. He was also named the Georgia “Child Caregiver of the Year” for 2016. Darius’ talk moves through his journey as an educator by sharing personal stories and using spoken word and explores how childhood play can have an impact on adult lives.

Dr. Lee Pierce currently teaches rhetoric and communication to undergraduates in the North Georgia area. In 2015, Dr. Pierce earned her PhD in Communication Studies, and her area of study is rhetorical theory and criticism as well as contemporary popular and political culture in the United States. Her dissertation earned the 2016 Gerald Miller Dissertation Award from the National Communication Association. As a scholar of rhetoric and a critic of culture, Dr. Pierce’s talk heavily emphasizes that when it comes to modern media, there is much more than meets the eye.

Jake Carnes is an undergraduate student majoring in Public Relations and International Affairs. Much of his meaningful college experiences have come from involvement in organizations like The Arch Society, Dawg Camp, Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, SGA, the Dean William Tate Honor Society, and The Chapel Bell. In his talk, Jake speaks about how we can and should treat people as unique individuals to articulate the importance of thoughtful, credible, intentional compliments.

Shaunak Godkhindi is an undergraduate student from Alpharetta studying Communications and New Media. He has been involved with comedy since coming to college, and he plans to continue his comedic endeavors after graduation. He is a member of both Improv Athens and Sharkwing, a sketch comedy group, and he runs and performs in two stand-up comedy shows around Athens. Although he regularly performs stand-up five nights a week in Athens and Atlanta, he is making history as the first comedian to take the TEDxUGA stage. In his performance, Shaunak uses his comedic stylings to tell stories of his life while being an Indian-American man and fosters many laughs as he recounts some of the more humorous occurrences he has encountered in his life.

Cameron Harris is an undergraduate student studying Marketing and is a Leonard Leadership Scholar from Marietta. He is very active in campus organizations such as the Wesley Foundation, Beta Upsilon Chi, and Breaking the Shackles. Cameron founded Breaking the Shackles, a 501(c)3 non-profit and student organization that raises awareness, collects funds, and mobilizes others to combat human trafficking. His talk exposes the audience to the tragedies of modern-day slavery and provides strategies for taking action.

Ngozi Okafor is a PhD student in Higher Education at the Institute of Higher Education. She earned her bachelor’s degree with honors in Psychology as well as a master’s degree in Organizational & Occupational Psychology. She currently serves as a graduate teaching assistant in the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO), a part of the Honors program. Her work, exploring educational systems and cultures, has sent her to 34 countries. Her research interests in higher education include issues in comparative higher education and factors that influence access, persistence, and success for nontraditional students. In her talk, Ngozi explores how the use of labels and exclusive names can affect student success.

Michael Thomas Jr. is a Financial Planning PhD student from Indiana. He works to find ways to provide relevant and reliable financial services to underserved populations to strengthen families and build stronger communities. He is most passionate about his faith, family, and baseball. He notes that nearly half of Americans say that money is one of the most challenging subjects to talk about, but Michael wants to change that. His talk explores how empathy is one of the greatest tools at our disposal when it comes to financial planning.

Asura is a premiere co-educational fusion dance team and welcomes highly determined and motivated students who demonstrate passion, character, and discipline. Specializing in a multitude of dance styles including, but not limited to Bollywood, bhangra, hip-hop, and contemporary, Asura constantly engages the audience and actively campaigns to represent all that there is to love about the art of dance.

Pamoja Dance Company is a dance ensemble that provides students with an opportunity to become part of a performing dance company without majoring in dance. Founded in 1974, it is currently housed under the Multicultural Services Program office. Pamoja Dance Company supports diversity and unity amongst dancers and strives to include members of all races, cultures, and creeds. After more than 30 years, Pamoja continues to be one of the most entertaining dance companies at the University of Georgia.

Khadesia Dexter is a second-year undergraduate from Augusta, GA studying International Affairs. She is involved in the Air Force ROTC program as a cadet and serves as the current President of the Colonel L.G. Duggar Chapter of Silver Wings, a national organization dedicated to developing leadership skills and education about national defense. After college, she plans to pursue a career in the military. Dexter strives to educate the audience about the relationship between black hair and professionalism while reflecting on her own experiences.

Manny Elsar Jr. is a fourth-year undergraduate studying Economics and International Affairs from Union, NJ. Elsar is involved in several organizations at UGA and in the Athens community, including African Student Union, Athens Clarke County Mentorship Program, and in the summer of 2016, he served as an Orientation Leader for the class of 2020. Elsar is passionate about the intersection between education and business in the developing world and after graduation, he plans to work in business consulting or education.

Breanna Troutman is a fourth-year undergraduate studying International Affairs. She has been involved with campus organizations such as the Arch Society, Relay for Life, Camp Kesem, Oasis Católico, and Service Ambassadors. Outside of class, Breanna enjoys hiking, long walks on the beach, and drinking unnecessarily large amounts of coffee.

Luke Hendon is a fourth-year undergraduate studying International Business and Marketing. On campus, he is involved with UGA Miracle, UGA Relay for Life, International Student Life, and Greek Life. Off campus, he spends time backpacking, playing guitar, and traveling. Hendon and Troutman present as a duo to encourage audiences to engage in an open dialogue about important issues such as race.

David Newton is a fourth-year undergraduate studying Biology, Psychology, and Chemistry. He currently works as the Clinic Manager at Mercy Health Center, a free clinic for uninsured Athens residents. Research has been a cornerstone of his undergraduate career, and he has spent the last two summers developing burn care research studies and evaluating financial benefits of preventative primary care respectively. While David has interests in medicinal chemistry and drug design, his focus on opioid physiology stems from his desire to prevent future patients from suffering the consequences of addiction. After graduation, David plans to attend medical school.