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Contact: Sasha Steinberg

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A U.S. Army Special Forces veteran and an Olympic silver medalist are among the featured speakers Friday [April 5] for Mississippi State’s first TEDx Conference.

At the 4 p.m. public event in Colvard Student Union’s Dawg House, TED Talks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group atmosphere. The "Moving Forward"-themed event is nearly sold out, but those interested may check at the door for any available tickets.

MSU’s Television Center will live stream the event at .

Avery K. Ferguson, a senior English major from Mandeville, Louisiana, is vice president for TEDx at �㽶ֱ��, the student organization coordinating the conference. She said a TEDx Conference is an independently organized TED-like event where people give talks on ideas they are passionate about and believe are worth sharing.

“We have worked over the past year to organize and cultivate a conference with speakers of all ages and backgrounds to give talks on topics including overcoming obsession and traumatic brain injury, the history of the future: why science fiction matters, the future of sustainable homes, and more,” said Ferguson, a student in MSU’s Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College.

Speakers include:

—Brady A. Kruse, an �㽶ֱ��sophomore computer science major and Shackouls Honors College student from New Haven, Missouri. He will discuss his enthusiasm for science fiction, which he explored during a one-semester study abroad experience in Oxford, England.

—Danielle Scott-Arruda, a former two-time Olympic silver medalist in volleyball. She now travels the nation speaking to schools about the importance of financial literacy and women in leadership.

—Veera Gnaneswar Gude, an associate professor in MSU’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is conducting research on sustainable housing and energy-producing homes.

—Hannah Jian, a Starkville High School senior and passionate speech and debate team member who was named State Oratorical Champion in Mississippi.

—Kolie Crutcher, an �㽶ֱ��electrical engineering alumnus who has applied his love for science to the study of success and now is a published author on the subject. He is founder and CEO of the Wall Street media company GET MONEY Inc.

—Madison K. Grant, an �㽶ֱ��senior business administration major from Elberta, Alabama. With assistance from MSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach, Grant and other �㽶ֱ��students founded jitterbean’s coffee, now served at the university’s State Fountain Bakery.

—Nicholas Ward, a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran who suffered a traumatic brain injury. He will discuss the psychological impact that injury caused on his service as a Green Beret.

For more conference information, visit or email tedxmsstate@gmail.com.

Learn more about MSU’s TEDx student organization at or Instagram @tedxmsstate.

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