{"id":226398,"date":"2025-06-03T10:38:56","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T14:38:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=226398"},"modified":"2025-06-03T10:49:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T14:49:42","slug":"tedx-montclair-montclair-state-university-students-lead-event-to-champion-social-mobility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2025\/06\/03\/tedx-montclair-montclair-state-university-students-lead-event-to-champion-social-mobility\/","title":{"rendered":"TEDx Montclair: Montclair State University Students Lead Event to Champion Social Mobility"},"content":{"rendered":"

This story is part of a series showcasing Montclair students and alumni turning passion into purpose \u2013 and making an impact on campus and beyond.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Montclair State University MBA students Katarina Rodriguez and Nova Pierre Louis believe that meaningful change doesn\u2019t happen all at once. It starts with a single idea, a single story \u2013 a single domino.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why they\u2019re bringing TEDx Montclair: The Domino Effect<\/a> to life on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at Montclair Mezzanine, an event space on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about the small things that lead to something bigger,\u201d says Rodriguez. \u201cEverything that happens in our lives, good or bad, can come from a small action.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The TEDx Montclair event will bring together thought leaders, creatives and changemakers to explore how small actions can spark powerful, lasting change \u2013 in individuals, families and entire communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Domino Starts It All<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rodriguez and Pierre Louis are applying what they\u2019ve learned at Montclair\u2019s Feliciano School of Business<\/a> to elevate the voices and ideas. Their vision for The Domino Effect is grounded in lived experience and a shared commitment to making opportunity more accessible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both Rodriguez and Pierre Louis earned their bachelor\u2019s degrees in Business Administration<\/a> from Montclair in 2024 and are on track to complete their accelerated MBAs<\/a> in August. They also balance full-time roles: Rodriguez serves as an assistant for Faculty-Led International Programs in Study Abroad <\/a>and, starting in July, Pierre Louis will join Feliciano Global<\/a> as a programs associate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"TEDx
As the event approaches, TEDx Montclair speakers gather for a group photo during a rehearsal break. Back row, from left: Jade Walters, Chris W. Fitzpatrick, Gary J. Nix, Paige Swanstein. Front row, from left: Kathleen Culver, Nick Fuentes-Zuluaga and Anjali Badrinath. Not pictured: D\u2019vorah Graeser. (Photo courtesy of Nev Trinajstic, Nev Photography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Final Touches<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rooted in the belief that social mobility is a shared responsibility, TEDx Montclair invites audiences to consider new perspectives on progress \u2013 and who has the power to shape it, Rodriguez and Pierre Louis say. The event will feature speakers sharing personal stories, ideas and solutions<\/a> that challenge the status quo and encourage action.<\/span><\/p>\n

Two of the featured speakers have strong Montclair ties:<\/span><\/p>\n