Theme: A Chance Can Change Everything

A Chance can Change Everything

This came from a very personal idea of what New England College means to me, Erin Faith Page. I scraped by and graduated from high school in 2007, a feat that was unexpected and surprising to many people in my life. All throughout high school I had struggled with drugs, friends, and life in general. My life was a mess, but I went through the motions of applying to colleges in the area. After being accepted to a few I decided on New England College, but once I moved into the dorms I quickly met all the wrong people at all the right times. My attempt at college lasted all of two months and ended in me living in a Merrimack motel fully relapsed into my addictions. After three years of struggle, hardships, and finally success I re-applied to New England College. When I received my acceptance letter along with a scholarship I was not only surprised, I was overwhelmingly thankful for the second chance that I had been given. New England College has changed my life, they gave me a chance that was not required and I have taken full advantage of that gift. Today I am a Dean’s list student, member of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society, training to be the student liaison to the NHPA student board, and a proud NEC student.

TEDxNewEnglandCollege is my way of saying thank you to the many people who have brought me to the place I am at today. The theme is meant to bring all of our differences together to inspire others the same way we have been inspired in the past and to discuss how chances have changed our lives. Speakers will present their forward-thinking ideas and all participants will leave the event inspired and empowered to effect positive change.

Simon Center Great Room
98 Bridge Street
Henniker, New Hampshire, 03242
United States

Anthony Scioli

Anthony Scioli PH.D. Author of Hope in the Age of Anxiety, professor and writer Anthony Scioli has spent over a decade investigating the nature and power of “hope”. His work on hope has been focused in clinical work primarily within behavioral medicine, positive psychology, the mind-body connection, spirituality and health. He has more than 40 publications and presentations on stress, coping, and emotion. He has also developed two questionnaires to measure hope. Dr. Scioli has also launched a website on hope www.gainhope.com that further explains his work.

Benjamin Kilham

I am what is called a “gifted” dyslexic, that is I have an IQ in the top 1% of the human population but I read at a “third grade” level. I managed to graduate from the University of New Hampshire with a B.S. in Wildlife in 1974, but my grades and test scores were erratic at best. With my dreams of studying animal behavior and working with it in graduate school dashed, I enrolled and graduated from a trade school for gunsmithing in Lakewood, Colorado. It was apparent I had another calling, as I flourished working with my hands. For the first time in my life, the results of my efforts reflected my ability, and the results were tangible. My experience as a gunsmith was challenging and personally rewarding, but I still had aspirations and an interest in animal behavior.

Jeff Bujak

Jeff Bujak's music is simply something different. He has released 25-albums over the 6-years he's been recording his solo creations; including original studio tracks, remix tracks and live recordings so his sound and even genre has changed over the span. Thanks to new technologies, computers and modern looping gear, Jeff is able to create a full band sound from just one man. Combining his classical piano background and theory training with progressive-style song writing, he's created an edgy, complex sound that constantly jumps genres. His studio tracks are layered with ideas and trimmed and perfected for release, while his live tracks are created at once, on one take. His two different writing and recording styles puts Jeff Bujak in his own category; something different.

Jen Dulong

I am a professional hula hooper. I started hooping in 2009 and when Jeff and I started touring in 2011, I bought my first LED hoop. I've always wanted to pursue a career as an LD and this became my way of doing lights; I just use a hoop instead of a light board. I've always loved music and I have found a way to be involved without actually learning how to play an instrument.

Krista Mosca

I started writing and performing poetry 4 years ago. In my first year I made a national team. 2011 I won the individual haiku championship and 2012 came in 10th in the Women of the World Poetry Slam. I try to give a voice of strength to women typically described as victims.

Larry Taylor

Dr. Larry Taylor is a professor of Psychology at New England College where he is also the Chair of the Knowledge, Growth and Action Collegium. A professor noted for his love of teaching, Larry focuses on being collaborative and hands-on in the classroom hoping to leave his students with thought-provoking assignments and lots of discussion. His doctoral work at Rutgers University focused on stress, crowding and personal control.

Martina Cohran

Martina Cohran is an uprising writer at New England College, located in Henniker, New Hampshire, where she studies politics and communications along with professional writing. She was the winner of our Speaker Contest for TEDxNewEnglandCollege. During her first year at New England College Martina was published in the 2012 Survivor Stories journal, the 2013 edition of The Henniker Review and the 2013 edition of The Inkslinger. Aside from her publications Martina also received an award for her outstanding work in The Inkslinger journal and gave a public reading of her 2012 Survivor Stories essay. This first generation college student from Chicago, Illinois has held internships at non- for profit organizations, canvassed for the 2012 general elections and is the youngest official member of the Chicago Women’s Networking Group.

Victoria Girmonde

I have written several screenplays and I am looking for producers. My play ‘The World According to Grace,’ is being in the process of being considered by a theater company in upstate NY. I am the producer/host of ToryTalks, a news radio show for WNEC-FM. My radio show specializes in local news about Concord, NH and I have done several special ‘talks’ about current global issues in the world. I am working on an hour long show about the embargo in Cuba, and another one on how Bullying affects Autistic Teens. Besides this, I am the production director for WNEC-FM. I am always looking for voice-overs for liners and PSA’s. I help the music director find new bands and music to put on our station. In the past I have been the Promotion’s Director, the Administrative Assistant (WNEC-FM), a reporter for the New Englander, a staff editor for the Henniker Review. I love chocolate and I’ve worked in the Disney College Program.

William Preble

Dr. William K. Preble a professor of education at New England College for the past 15 years, Bill is the developer of the SafeMeasures™ Process, a research-supported school improvement framework. His research has been focused in the field of youth leadership, youth political socialization, and School Climate Learning to aid against bullying. He is the author of two books: The Respectful School (ASCD), written with Steven Wessler in 2003, and, his latest book Transforming School Climate and Learning: Beyond Bullying and Compliance (Corwin, 2012) co-authored by Rick Gordon. Bill’s work was also featured this past year in Educational Leadership and the New Hampshire Journal of Education