It's spooky season and Beyond the Talk is bringing you the facts behind the myths we all know and love. Join Virginia and Erika as they dive deep into the origins of your favorite spooky characters and share some of their favorite Gainesville scary stories.

We are constantly being confronted with advertisements, yet we usually don't really think about the impact advertising can have for certain communities. This week we interviewed Bienvenido "Benny" Torres, part of the faculty at UF's College of Journalism and Communications, as well as a Gator Alum. Join us as we discuss advertising and queer communities, advocacy and the cultural impact of RuPaul's Drag Race. 

Have you ever thought about how bees impact your day to day life, beyond just honey? In this episode, Erika and Virginia speak with Robert Schulte, an Industrial and Systems Engineer student at the University of Florida, as well as the proud owner of Karen's Bees.  Join them as they discuss the importance of bees and how these small creatures can transform the world of business and engineering. 

Beyond the Talk is back! Dive in with new hosts Erika and Virginia for season 2. In the first episode get to know the new faces as they get to know each other and recap last years record breaking conference. 

For the very last, audience-dedicated episode of Beyond the Talk, Zoe and Apeksha answer questions directly from listeners. Thank you to everyone who has supported the podcast for the past eight months - your incredible commitment to exploring the expansive world of TEDx Talks has inspired us beyond measure. We hope you've enjoyed this journey as much as we have. 

In the penultimate episode of the semester, Zoe and Apeksha dive into the recent college admissions scandal, “Operation Varsity Blues,” and discuss the implications of educational privilege from a university-student point of view. 

In a very special episode of Beyond the Talk, UF’s 12th and current President, W. Kent Fuchs, dives into detail about his non-traditional path to university leadership, his methods of remaining accessible to the student body, and his vision for the University of Florida’s future. President Fuchs helps to define and discuss the meaning behind “Legacy,” the theme of the 10th-annual TEDxUF conference. Few university presidents have become a relatable, visible presence on their campuses, but President Fuchs has managed to do just that, while constantly encouraging people to love one another and always have fun.

 Where does healing begin? Join us this with Gretchen Casey, an advocate and facilitator for Restorative Justice. With a long history of aiding victims and perpetrators, Gretchen explains what restorative justice is, her experience with sex crime victims, and her own journey to closure.   

In this episode of Beyond the Talk, Zoe and Apeksha interview Devon Mims, a first-year student pursuing a combined Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Public Health. An episode that has something for everyone, Devon speaks to the added pressure of being a first-generation student, the importance of inclusivity in academic and extracurricular settings, and the intersection between animal care and disability services. 

 This episode of “Let’s Chat” covers a TEDxWestminster College talk given by Kalina Silverman, titled “How To Skip the Small Talk and Connect With Anyone.” Small talk can be exhausting and pointless in forming meaningful relationships, making unfamiliar situations such as freshman year of college feel isolating. Apeksha and Zoe discuss the importance of “Big Talk,” and how conversations that stretch beyond the weather can build impactful friendships that last a lifetime.