At Colorado State University’s annual TEDxCSU, 10 speakers discussed making a difference using small steps.

This year, the event featured an innovation station where the audience was able to take part in creating and spreading ideas with innovators at exhibits during the intermissions.

“They were such different topics, but they hit so many different emotional aspects of my inner self, and each topic had its own impact on me,” said Jen Hayes, an attendee and Fort Collins community member.

The speakers included Elizabeth Sink, a professor who spoke on how religion needs to be discussed more often, and Jennifer Harman, an associate professor who discussed parental alienation and how it affects more people than one might think.

“Parental alienation is so common and it happens so much, but we don’t have a name for it,” Harman said during her talk. “We can’t change our laws about parental alienation until we change our parenting stereotypes.”

Sink emphasized the importance of understanding values and beliefs and being tolerant.

“Realize the stigmas you have about the other side of the faith,” she said. “We are better together.”

Other talks included adjunct professor Jan Seahorn’s on taking action to move forward with post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as creating your own identity, as discussed by speaker Xajes Martinez, a trans professional in higher education.

“Xajes’ talk really made me rethink how to define myself as a person,” said Kristina Leifheit, a junior construction management student.

Melissa Dunkelman, a junior psychology student, said Seahorn’s speech gave her so much more insight on PTSD than she had learned in other classes.

“If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes a village to heal the wounded,” Seahorn said.

Bryan Dik, an associate professor of psychology, spoke on finding one’s calling and finding a way to make one’s everyday job and lifestyle mean more than just money.

Some students said about the talks ignited them to think about issues that they overlooked. 

“These TED Talks make you question yourself and they bring certain focal points of my life to think about,” said Brianna Nash, a junior journalism student. “The spreading of these ideas helps plant the seed of taking action.”

Thomas Lundine, a freshman ecosystem science and sustainability major, said the talks encompassed everyday topics that people tend to over look. 

“Sometimes you just need that reminder and inspiration,” he said. 

Collegian Reporter Israa Eldeiry can be reached at news@collegian.com or via Twitter @IsraaEldeiry.