TEDxCUNY is gearing up for its eighth annual conference on May 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., bringing together CUNY students, faculty and alumni for a day of thought-provoking talks, performances and workshops.
In an interview with The Ticker, TEDxCUNY co-organizers Saanavi Goyal and Emily Madray shared insights on the event’s evolution, the importance of idea-sharing and details about the conference.
TEDxCUNY is a student-run organization licensed under TEDx, meaning it follows TED’s guidelines while being independent.
It was established in 2013 to give the diverse and expansive CUNY community a global platform for sharing ideas.
Over the years, TEDxCUNY has grown into the largest TEDx organization and has hosted annual conferences featuring TED Talks, networking opportunities and merchandise for attendees.
Following last year’s theme “Unravel,” which focused on simplifying complex ideas, this year’s theme “Fast Track” aims to explore the impact of speed in shaping the future of various fields, including technology, law and liberal arts.
“This year, we wanted to lean into the idea that we’re based in New York — everyone here is always on this hustle and bustle … so we wanted to zoom out and talk about how speed can be a superpower in shaping the future,” Madray said.
She also emphasized how learning to use speed to progress the future centers this year’s conference.
The conference’s speakers include musicians, lawyers, scientists, writers and other professionals who will discuss the role speed plays in their fields.
The event’s tagline poses a challenge to attendees: “Will you be a driver of change?”
For Madray — a political science major at John Jay College — this theme is deeply personal.
“I’m always hustling … sometimes I have to zoom out and think to myself: ‘Is everything I’m doing contributing to positive change?’ … I’m hoping that the audience can do the same — regardless of what background they’re coming from.”
Goyal — a junior and computer science major at City College — also finds the theme especially relevant. “Technology is on the fast track … Every day I go to school [I see] headlines about how technology has evolved within the past few years – how every day we are moving with technology as human beings.”
Attendees can expect TED Talks from nine speakers, each lasting from 12 to 18 minutes. They will cover different topics centering around the theme, including law, technology and music.
Between sessions will be live performances throughout the day, interactive workshops and networking opportunities, as well as lunch.
Guests are encouraged to stay for as long as they can but are not required to stay for the entire conference.
The conference will take place on a Friday, so students can come for one session between classes or stay for all three.
The event is free for CUNY students, with discounted tickets available for CUNY staff, alumni and affiliates.
“Our goal is to create a space where students can engage with new ideas and connect with others across campuses,” Goyal said.
TEDxCUNY’s speakers consist of established professionals and CUNY students.
Two student speakers are selected through the Student Speaker Competition, an annual event where students pitch their ideas for a chance to talk on the TEDxCUNY stage.
Applications open around October and students interested in giving a TED Talk can submit their pitches and outlines.
“We don’t reveal the theme beforehand because we want students to speak about what truly matters to them,” Madray shared.
Once selected, the TEDxCUNY team provides structured guidance, requiring three drafts and multiple rehearsals to help students refine their talks to align with TED guidelines.
“With CUNY being a commuter school, there’s not a lot of opportunities you get to interact with other CUNY students. So this is a great place for students to come together, interact with each other and have fun,” Goyal emphasized.
As TEDxCUNY 2025 approaches, excitement builds for what promises to be an inspirational event.
Editor’s Note: Maya Demchak-Gottlieb, The Ticker’s editor-in-chief is the director for TEDxCUNY’s Speakers and Programming Team. She had no involvement in the editorial process for this article.
