Above photo: Etiquette holds a special place for Patricia Rossi, and her TEDx presentation urged students to practice manners to succeed in the workplace and in life. Courtesy of Emily Bowers
By Alexander Marengi
The speakers at USF St. Petersburg’s third annual TEDx talk Thursday came with a variety of experiences, but had one thing in common: struggle.
Arthur Wylie, an entrepreneur, spoke about all the times he failed and kept persisting, consistently meeting small goals, and eventually achieving his dream of working with some of Hollywood’s top producers.
Wylie encouraged the audience to “go after their strengths” when it comes to attaining your dreams.
Patricia Rossi, a USF alumna and etiquette coach talked about how “one kind act” can change someone’s whole day.
She told the story of everything she overcame in school and all the people telling her to be a certain way. When she graduated, she realized the importance of authenticity and encouraged the audience to always be themselves and “embrace their quirks.”
Rossi had to overcome what her teachers called “quirks,” traits that she now calls “perks.” Rossi also told the audience to be respectful and others will treat you the same.
Students around campus who did not attend could watch the event’s livestream in The Reef.
TEDx collaborates with university campus’ around the country to create and inspire aspiring intellectuals. These talks present cutting-edge ideas while highlighting difficult circumstances that led to success and different approaches to everyday situations.
