TEDx Returns to St. Lawrence

On Thursday, October 23rd, the second annual TEDx CEGEP Champlain – St. Lawrence conference took place at the St. Lawrence auditorium. This event, organized by the Entrepreneurship Club (SLEC), consisted of a series of talks by students and two by guest speakers, all under the theme of Mind, Body and Beyond.

Last year’s event, organized by Tristan Massicotte and Louis Théoret, was the first of its kind at the college. You can read all about the inaugural conference here. This year, the SLEC took up the charge, aiming to empower fellow students to express their ideas and improve their public speaking skills.

The evening kicked off with an introductory speech by SLEC co-presidents Amélie Crochetière, Charles-Émile Simoneau, and Judicael Jordan Tchouamou, who explained the aims of the event.

Next, eight speakers took to the stage, six of whom were St. Lawrence students. Justin Simard gave a talk called Refuse to Disappoint Yourself, while Mélissa Xiangqi Wu spoke about Having the Courage to Change. Anastasia Gaulin’s talk, Why Kindness Matters, explored the importance of being kind to oneself and practicing self-compassion.

Jacob Huang’s speech covered the ABC Method for Success (Act, Believe, Connect), while Amélie Trépanier’s explored the Rise of Anti-Intellectualism and the Power of Critical Thinking. Raphaël Payant, meanwhile, spoke about The Biggest Threat to Man, addressing the rise of masculine extremism and how it can influence young people’s perception of the opposite gender. Each speaker shared their own perspective with the audience, provoking reflection about these big topics.

Both guest speakers discussed the importance of one’s mindset. Claire Hayek spoke about starting each day with a positive attitude, and the far-reaching effects that can have on one’s life. Paul Rousseau gave a talk called No Pressure, No Diamond, exploring the idea that while it may not be possible to control the past, each person has control over their future. Rousseau gave out signed copies of his book to select audience members through a random draw. The event wrapped up with a brief cocktail in the atrium.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in this event, from the speakers to the members of the organizing committee. St. Lawrence is proud to serve as host to such an exciting and inspiring conference.