Owning Change: Community, Knowledge and Development: David Aday at TEDxCollegeofWilliam&Mary

Students at William and Mary focused and defined the final stage of Dr. David P. Aday, Jr.'s work as a scholar and teacher. Two small groups of committed, ambitious, and determined students approached him for help in thinking about international volunteer and spring-break service and service learning. Their interests provoked a curiosity and concern and resonated with his long-term interests in applied social science and community. David was at that time serving in a full-time administrative position as Special Assistant to the Provost. The students, who now are recognized as the founders of Student Organization for Medical Outreach and Sustainability (SOMOS) and Medical Aid Nicaragua: Outreach Scholarship (MANOS), were discouraged by their experiences in "spring break trips" that seemed superficial, unlikely to have much value for the supposed beneficiaries, and potentially dangerous because of unintended consequences. They believed that their experiences could be more authentic, more intentional, and better grounded in systematic knowledge. David believes that student learning and efforts to remedy systemic inequalities, injustices, and disparities can be more authentic. Useful approaches to both turn on issues of ownership.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)