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TEDx ������ 2026 will be held on Thursday, April 16, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the K.G. Tan Auditorium in the National Veterans Resource Center at The Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building, 101 Waverly Ave. Centered on the theme “What Matters Next,” the free event will bring together students, faculty, alumni and members of the community for an evening of ideas, conversation and inspiration. Organizers are inviting , due Jan. 20, from individuals with compelling ideas, research, innovations or personal stories that speak to the forces shaping the future.

“’What Matters Next’ challenges both the speakers and audience to look beyond the present and consider the consequences, opportunities and efforts that will define the coming years,” says Ryan Nkongnyu ’25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), G’26 (S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), the event emcee and one of its lead organizers. “From advances in technology and shifts in public policy to cultural change and social innovation, the theme explores questions around the future and how today’s work can help shape it. This is an invitation to articulate and explore today’s discoveries, innovations and efforts and consider how they will empower and prepare us for tomorrow.”

TEDx ������ 2026 is co-organized and co-hosted by Nkongnyu alongside Sonia Issa ’24, G’25 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), chief operating officer of the Syracuse-based Good Life Youth Foundation. Issa’s community-centered work spans nonprofit leadership, program design and large-scale convening, with a focus on translating complex social and policy issues into accessible, people-centered dialogue. Together, Nkongnyu and Issa also led the University’s successful TEDx event last year.

In addition to her role as co-organizer, Issa was a featured speaker at TEDx ������ 2025, where she explored themes of systems change, narrative and responsibility. Her experience bridging community-based work, academic spaces and public-facing dialogue helps shape the vision and structure of the 2026 event.

TEDx ������ 2026 will feature a curated lineup of thinkers, doers and innovators from a range of disciplines, each delivering a short, powerful talk designed to spark dialogue and inspire action. Beyond the talks, the event also offers opportunities for networking, idea-sharing and engagement with the University’s growing TEDx community.

The event is co-sponsored by the Libraries and the Office of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, reflecting a shared commitment to fostering interdisciplinary thinking and public engagement around big ideas.

“������ Libraries is pleased to again sponsor TEDx ������ because it aligns closely with our mission,” says David Seaman, dean of Libraries and University librarian. “Libraries are both places where knowledge is preserved and where ideas are questioned, connected and shared. TEDx creates a powerful platform for curiosity, creativity and informed dialogue. We are proud to once again support an event that invites our campus and community to think critically about what matters next.”

Individuals interested in speaking are encouraged to , whether affiliated with ������ or part of the broader community. Organizers emphasize that TEDx talks are not lectures or sales pitches, but carefully crafted stories and ideas meant to resonate with and inspire a wide audience.

“If you have a topic to speak about or a story to share, consider applying,” Nkongnyu says. “Maybe this is your chance to share with the world what matters next.”

For more information about TEDx ������ 2026 or questions about the application process, contact Ryan Nkongnyu at rnkongny@syr.edu.

Story by Linda Dickerson Hartsock, strategic initiatives advisor, ������ Libraries