Theme: What's Next?

The TEDxWVU team has a goal of creating unity within our community and beyond. Our theme of “What’s Next?” looks to the future, hoping to share ideas and begin conversations that can bring us all together.

Gladys G Davis Theatre
1 Fine Arts Dr.
Morgantown, West Virginia, 26505
United States

Dr. Clay Marsh

Chancellor and Executive Dean for WVU Health Sciences

Dr. Clay Marsh serves as West Virginia University’s Chief Health Officer, focusing on finding statewide solutions for health and well-being, and is a national leader in academic and personalized medicine and in pulmonary and critical care. Additionally, he leads the academic health sciences center at WVU including the Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health and co-leads WVU Medicine, West Virginia’s largest healthcare enterprise and largest employer. In response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Marsh was appointed the COVID-19 czar by West Virginia’s governor in March 2020. In this role, he coordinates the state’s response to COVID-19 by collaborating with federal, state and local agencies, health officials, researchers and other agencies aiding in the effort.

Lauren Marquart

Student at West Virginia University

Lauren Marquart is a freshman Elementary Education major who grew up in Wheeling, WV. At WVU, she serves as a College Senator on the Student Assembly of the Student Government Association, and she is a lead Student Ambassador for the College of Education. By working for the College of Education, Lauren’s passions for teaching and inspiring others have only continued to grow. Ever since she was a little girl, Lauren has dreamed of becoming a teacher, just like her mom. However, the older she got, the more she realized the depth of the problems within the education system, as well as the value of a good education. The challenges of giving students a good education through equity and equality has piqued her interests since attending WVU. Through her talk, Lauren hopes to show everyone what benefits can come from receiving an education that you love.

Rania Zuri

Student at Morgantown High School

Rania Zuri is a junior at Morgantown High School and CEO/Founder of The LiTEArary Society, a WV youth-led 501(c)(3) organization with the mission of promoting the love of reading among children, ages 3-5, from disadvantaged families. Concerned about the vast “book deserts” that exist in rural areas where children do not have access to books at home, Rania started The WV Head Start Road Tour in which she gifted a brand new book (all award winning or bestselling titles) to each and every child enrolled in Head Start in entire state of West Virginia, for a total of 6778 (over 80k in value). Rania is also the President of UNICEF at Morgantown High and is interested in Appalachian studies, as well as poverty issues in rural America. She was most recently invited to write an Op-Ed in Teen Vogue about her experience with The WV Head Start Road Tour and The LiTEArary Society.

Rebecca Erwin

Student at West Virginia University

Rebecca Erwin is a senior at West Virginia University from Wheeling, West Virginia. Majoring in chemical engineering with a minor in Spanish, she works as an undergraduate researcher and serves as president of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. She grew up in a space where femininity and art were significant parts of her identity –STEM was a later discovery. Upon entering college classes where men were the dominant demographic, she experienced a strange shame in her femininity that led to self-doubt. With this internal pressure to suppress key components of her identity to belong in an academic space, she became hyper aware of our internal biases against diverse expression in "professional" settings. Rebecca's talk will highlight the need to advocate for diversity not just in.