Alfred University will host an afternoon of TEDx talks on Friday, March 27, featuring engaging discussions focusing on creativity, interdisciplinary learning, and the transformative power of education.
TEDxAlfred University: Finding Your Spark will be offered from 1-4 p.m. in Holmes Auditorium, Harder Hall, and feature 12 speakers, including current students, alumni, and faculty and staff from Alfred University. Each will present 12-minute talks meant to engage in forward‑thinking dialogue that reflects the university’s commitment to intellectual exploration and global citizenship.
A website for TEDxAlfred University says the event “brings together innovative thinkers, creators, and community leaders for a day of inspiring talks designed to spark curiosity and ignite meaningful conversations” and showcases “the bold ideas, research, and real‑world impact emerging from our students, faculty, alumni, and partners.”
Alfred University alumnus Peter Cuneo Peter Cuneo ’67, HD ’13, HD ’22, former CEO of Marvel Entertainment author of Superhero Leadership, will make opening comments and introduce speakers for the event. Cuneo, renowned for his record of turning around struggling businesses, is Chair Emeritus of the university’s Board of Trustees.
The following speakers will give presentations at TEDxAlfred University:
- Keshell Scipio ’21 (B.A., communication studies), Customer Success Manager at Zauben, a sustainability-focused startup at the intersection of design and workplace experience. Keshell’s talk, titled “Multipotentiality Is Not Confusion: How Being ‘Too Many Things’ Became My Spark,” explores how embracing multiple passions can become a source of clarity and power.
- Claire Lander, a senior majoring in early childhood/childhood education, with a concentration on psychology. Claire’s talk is titled “Finding Your Spark: Turning Pain into Purpose.” It focuses on how childhood adversity and protective experiences shape resilience and healing.
- Danielle Gagne, professor of psychology, has been a member of the faculty in Alfred University’s Division of Psychology for 22 years. Her talk, “Reimagining Cemeteries as Open-Air Museums,” invites audiences to see cemeteries as “living museums,” where carved images—such as clasped hands and broken columns—quietly tell stories of love, loss, faith, and identity.
- Marilú Marcillo ’90 (B.S., business administration), dean of the School of Business & Information Sciences at Felician University. Marcillo, a first-generation college graduate, is the only Latina dean of a business and information sciences school in New Jersey. Her talk, "The Center of the World is Wherever You Are," is born from her own defining moment of resilience at Alfred—shifting from a victim of circumstance to the architect of her own success.
- Angie Taylor, chief inclusivity officer at Alfred University, will present a talk titled “Beyond the Finish Line: How Purpose Outlasts Performance.” Taylor is a globally-respected leader in track and field, having served as High Performance Director for the nation of Nigeria before becoming head men’s and women’s track and field coach at Alfred University. She has also served as head coach for USA Track & Field, as head women’s coach at George Mason University, and assistant coach at Princeton University.
- Brian Ngatunga ’24 (B.S., business analytics, minor in marketing), data analyst for NSG Group, a global glass manufacturing company in Columbus, OH. Ngatunga, an international student from Nigeria, was honored by Alfred University as a Marlin Miller Outstanding Senior. His talk, “Relearning Yourself,” will discuss how foreign nationals navigate identity, belonging, and cultural dissonance in new environments.
- Lynn Petrillo, clinical assistant professor of English, will present a talk—“How Does it Feel to Be You?”—in which she will speak about how her students have been answering this question for her for over thirty years. Petrillo will discuss how people who are seeking their own spark can use the questions they ask themselves to guide them to their light, and shine.
- Matias Homar, visiting professor of Sound Studies in the Performing Arts Division at Alfred University. He is a composer, guitarist, and creator of interactive musical instruments working at the intersection of sound, technology, and performance. His talk is titled “The Practice of Inactive Composition.”
- Caroline Burgos ’19 (B.A., political science and global studies, MBA ’20), director of Reunions and Affinity Chapters, Fordham University. Burgos was a graduate assistant in Alfred’s Advancement Office and worked there two years after earning her MBA, before returning to her native New Jersey and taking the position at Fordham. Her talk—“The Power of Mentorship”— explores the spark of mentorship and how strong those relationships can shape the future both personally and professionally.
- Hannah Gruner, assistant professor of biology, will share her personal and academic journey, exploring why it is important for everyone to find their own road in life. In her talk, “Brains, Hearts, Nerves, Oh My! Illuminating My Yellow Brick Road Through Grief, Science and Change,” Gruner will discuss the loss of her uncle, who was like a father to her, to brain cancer and how his passing eventually motivated her to be the first in her family to pursue a college education.
- Matthew Bittel, senior ceramic engineering major and a materials science intern at Lockheed Martin researching piezoelectric ceramics for sonar applications. He founded the Mug Drop Club, which grew from a conversation in his apartment to a 70-member organization that bridges Alfred's art and engineering schools. Matthew’s talk—“Belief is Built in the In-Between”—explores his journey and how he discovered his passions throughout his time at Alfred; it also reflects on some of the journeys of those around him.
- Yuliia Koreiba ’25 (B.S., business analytics, minors in marketing and economics) is a Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In her talk, “Forget Passion. Start Practicing Purpose," Koreiba will explore the idea that purpose isn’t a single moment you stumble into, but something you slowly build through consistent, intentional choices, even when you don't feel like you belong or are “good enough.”
TEDxAlfred University is organized by the following students: Alina Zabihailo (president); Marketing Team members Liza Shevchuk and Reagan Rought; Production Team members Brysen Pye and Silas Cooper; Curation Team members Vlada Makarenko and Nkanyi Dlamini; and Experience Team members Sabrina Hryhorieva and Anlun Swerver. The event will close with a reception.
