TEDxIU Spotlight Interview with Dr. Joe Hug - #MyGiving Story

With a goal to create hands-on learning opportunities for students and volunteers to develop real-world skills in event and project management, while simultaneously building a platform for local voices to share their stories, Dr. Joe Hug founded TEDxInnovationU. TEDXIU

We at Giving Tuesday Japan had the exclusive opportunity to interview him about why he joined, what inspires him to give back, and what his future goals are.

Take a look at the My Giving Story interview between Dr. Hug and our Global Community Team Leader, Jasmine, below!

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Jasmine: Hi Dr. Hug! Thank you so much for taking the time to interview with us! Let's jump right into today's questions. When was TEDX x IU founded, why, and by whom?

Dr. Hug: TEDxInnovationU (official name) was founded by me back in 2023, yet not fully activated until 2025.

Jasmine: What is your main role within TEDX x IU?

Dr. Hug: I am the Lead Organizer and licensee.

Jasmine: What is your mission statement?

Dr. Hug: Our mission and vision is to create hands-on learning opportunities for students and volunteers to develop real-world skills in event and project management, while simultaneously building a platform for local voices to share their stories. I believe that the most powerful ideas don't only come from experts —they come from regular people in our own communities. TEDxInnovationU exists to uncover those ideas and give them onto the stage.

Jasmine: What are your chapter's specific goals? As an organization and individual personal goals?

Dr. Hug: In terms of the organization,in the short term, our goal is to deliver a successful TEDxInnovationU event on March 28th that honors our theme of "Intergenerational Innovation" and provides students and volunteers with an immersive, hands-on learning experience in event production. Long term, we aim to raise awareness of TEDx within Japan and establish a sustainable platform where local community members—across generations and backgrounds—can share ideas that matter.

For personal goals, for me, this is about legacy through empowerment. I want to equip the next generation of event organizers, producers, and community builders with skills they can't learn in a classroom. If even one student walks away from this experience with the confidence to lead their own project someday, I'll consider that a success.

Jasmine: What is one of the more challenging aspects of doing this?

Dr. Hug: The most challenging aspect is balancing ambition with capacity. There are so many ideas we want to bring to life—more speakers, longer events, additional programs like TEDxSalons —but as a volunteer-led organization, we have to be disciplined. Our focus right now is on making this one event exceptional. Every "yes" to a new idea means saying "no" to something else, and learning that trade-off has been both difficult and essential.

Jasmine: What is one of the more rewarding aspects of doing this?

Dr. Hug: Watching students and volunteers grow in real time. Seeing someone who started with no event experience confidently manage a production deadline, or a shy volunteer find their voice while supporting a speaker—that is the reward. This event is about ideas on stage, but behind the scenes, it's about people discovering what they're capable of. That never gets old.

Jasmine: Does  TEDX x IU   have any upcoming events later this year?

Dr. Hug: Right now, our full focus is on March 28th. We believe in doing one thing well before expanding. Once we've delivered a successful main event, we'll begin exploring smaller formats like TEDxSalons later in the year. But for now, all our energy is going into making this first event unforgettable.

Jasmine: How do people get involved with  TEDX x IU?

Dr. Hug: How to Participate:  We'd love to have you! The best way to get involved is:

Attend the event – Tickets are available now. Experience TEDx firsthand and meet our community.

Volunteer – We're always looking for passionate people to help with production, marketing, logistics, and more. Reach out via our website.

Follow us – Stay updated on future speaker calls, events, and opportunities by following TEDxInnovationU on LinkedIn and our official website.

Jasmine: Have you heard of or participated in Giving Tuesday before we contacted you? Is there anything you would like to do in the future in collaboration with Giving Tuesday? How can we (Giving Tuesday Japan) support?

Dr. Hug: The first time I heard of it was at another small event. It was intriguing, so it would be nice to continue to explore ways to work together towards offering help to each other.

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