For the second consecutive year, a student will take the stage alongside activists, entrepreneurs and other speakers at TEDxBinghamtonUniversity.

The application period begins on October 12 and will close at midnight on October 25. Interested students will be asked to submit enough content to fill a five-minute time period with their idea for the talk. A link to the application will be available through B-Engaged, B-Line emails and the TEDxBinghamtonUniversity Facebook page.

From October 26 until October 30, the TEDxBinghamtonUniversity student organizers will evaluate the submissions and select several finalists. Those chosen will then be interviewed and will present a live pitch and shortened version of their proposed talk.

Sofia Degtyar, a TEDxBinghamtonUniversity organizer and a junior majoring in art and design, said that students should prioritize originality in their applications and take advantage of what sets them apart.

“Keep it fresh, surprise us, make it engaging,” Degtyar said. “Propose ideas or views that have never been considered before.”

TEDxBinghamtonUniversity organizer Kaitlyn Brouillet, a junior majoring in business administration, added that students should choose a topic that excites them and speak in areas that they have some authority and experience.

“Authenticity is so important,” Brouillet said. “It’s obvious if you are not genuine about what you’re talking about. We want someone who is crazy passionate about what they do and is eager to share it with the TEDx community.”

Last year’s student speaker was Jack Fischer, a junior double-majoring in computer science and mathematics. Fischer’s talk, “Porn: The New Tobacco,” focused on the dark side of pornography and a related Reddit forum called “No Fap.” On No Fap, contributors decide to abstain from masturbating and/or watching pornography for an extended period of time.

Degtyar said that Fischer’s originality made him a standout to the committee throughout the application process.

“His talk was ballsy,” Degtyar said. “It was a new idea and a subject that a lot of people had never come in contact with.”

Fischer said that he was grateful to be the student speaker, and he was very happy to know a member of the campus community would be returning to the TEDxBinghamtonUniversity stage.

“I think the medium is perfect for highlighting what people are doing in an unusual way,” Fischer said. “And for getting some of the things happening at [BU], maybe off the beaten track a little bit, out to the world.”

The chosen speaker will be notified by November 8 at midnight after all finalists have had the opportunity to present. The speaker will then spend the months leading up to the TEDxBinghamtonUniversity conference writing their speech and preparing for the event with the help of the organizers.

“If you are chosen, the organizers will support you every step of the way,” Brouillet said. “The preparation process is a huge time commitment, and giving a TED talk can be really nerve-wracking. We want you to be the best you can be and will do everything to make you TEDx ready.”

The student speaker will also be encouraged to utilize the public speaking skills lab on campus, as well as any other faculty and student resources needed.

Brouillet added that above all, applicants should embrace their idiosyncrasies and utilize them in their talk pitch.

“We look for people who are intriguing and a little weird,” Brouillet said. “Don’t be afraid to be different.”