2021 Cohort
17
edits
Changes
==2021 Cohort==
===Strategic Priority 1: Exposing STEM students to arts and humanities===
''Project Leader: Hailey Bixler''
Many STEM students at UNO, especially engineers, have very rigid schedules that require almost exclusively math and science classes. We want to give them a chance to express their creativity and relieve stress while being exposed to arts and humanities. One of the biggest concerns unearthed was that STEM students felt intimidated participating in arts activities that arts majors also participated in. They felt as though their skills could not compare to people who were enrolled in the fine arts programs, so they were hesitant to sign up for art classes or join creativity-based clubs. This guided our ideas towards solutions that encouraged failure and experimentation instead of talent. The second biggest concern was time: STEM degrees require a lot of intensive classes. Additionally, many students are involved in other STEM-related extracurriculars and don't have time to add on anything that isn't directly related to their major. We realized that effective solutions needed to be adaptive to different schedules and meet the needs of students who only have a spare half hour or so in their day.
'''Potential Tactics'''
1. Implementing an art or music playground for students to experiment with creative mediums
2. Redesigning the engineering curriculum to include more focus on arts and humanities
3. Design quick art challenges that encourage failure, not talent
===Strategic Priority 2: Guiding students who are unsure of their career goals===
''Project Leader: Ellie Zentner''
There are many students, whether seniors in high school or early college students, who are unsure of what kind of career path they want to take. The problem is, most of these students aren't sure where to go for guidance. It's hard for students to fully grasp which majors will actually suit them based on their interests and skills. Furthermore, students might not know their options outside of attending a traditional four-year university. Overall, the goal is to implement a program or series of events that will help guide these students so they can ultimately discover the ideal career path for them. The biggest concern with this is figuring out which tactic will get the biggest response from students and be the most accessible.
'''Potential Tactics'''
1. Setting up a biyearly "major fair" where students can attend booths ran by upperclassmen of each major
2. Implementing a new section of UNO's peer mentoring program specifically designed for undeclared majors or students unsure of their major
3. Introducing seminars where students can learn about different career fields as well as options outside of four-year college (trade school, community college, etc.)
===Strategic Priority 3: Reviving student involvement through the restructuring of the presentation of opportunities for students===
''Project Leader: Joshua Oarhe''
Structured originally as a commuter campus for students who decided to go to college from home, the culture associated with the commuter nature of UNO persists to our current day. Now, UNO has many on-campus residence options for students looking to have the on-campus college experience. However, student involvement is drastically affected by the split nature of the residence of our campus. Many on-campus students that seek to have the associated experience seek out opportunities to join clubs, associations, and various types of organizations but find it difficult to find an environment within those clubs that has people as solidly committed to its purpose as they might be. the student organizations struggle to gain participation since many students have an off-campus perspective of UNO in which they attend class and return to their home. We seek to boost student involvement by presenting opportunities to become involved in a fast-working fashion that helps to meet the needs of both on-campus and off-campus students.
'''Potential Tactics'''
1. Structural redesign of the platform in which we present the list of student organizations and clubs to students that emphasizes providing dependable and relevant information that builds a proper image of the opportunities that lie within the organization
2. A continuous involvement center run by a campus representative or ambassador that acts as an easily-approachable source of information about the wide scope of student involvement opportunities and can act as a liaison that can connect searching students with readily accepting organizations
3. A renewed emphasis on the testimonials of students that are currently playing or have played a role in the organization to provide a student perspective of the worth and value of the experiences and memories that are gained from participating in this club
===Strategic Priority 4: Offering Peer Mentoring for First Year/Second Year Students===
''Project Leader: Jerome Thomas-Glass''
A lot of scholarships at UNO offer peer mentoring programs for their incoming students, but students who don’t have a scholarship program don’t have the same opportunity for a peer mentorship program . Those students face problems too with school, or life, and may need help as well, but not feel comfortable enough to go to a teacher or faculty member and talk about it. A peer mentorship program for those students who may not have one already through their scholarship program will have the same opportunity to get help and advice from older students who may have faced the same challenges as them. This will benefit those students causing them to be able to go through college more smoothly without the worry of not having anyone in their corner that they can talk to whenever they have a problem or concern.
'''Potential Tactics'''
1. Sending out forms to students asking them if they are a part of a peer mentoring program
2. Reaching out to students that we may know and letting them know of the opportunity
3. Asking upperclassmen To volunteer their time and come up with a program that will benefit both the mentor and mentee
==2020 Cohort==
===Keeping students at the forefront of higher education===
We believe that by having spaces to creatively work on any project, it will empower students to go beyond the curriculum to focus on what they are truly passionate about. Our goal is to have spaces on Dodge campus as well as Pacific campus to allow students from all majors to explore. Currently, there are limited spaces to only specific students that allow for innovation and creativity, such as the Scott Scholar Design Thinking Space and various art labs. We believe that we can encompass some of the existing opportunities and create new spaces that allows students to pursue their passions and ideas. This means providing students with tangible prototyping materials, funds to pursue any type of project, as well as creating a comfortable, collaborative environment.
===Additional Documentation===