Priorities:Washington State University Student Priorities

Overview

Washington State University is a college that focuses on programs and opportunities in innovation for the student body. All the programs offered on the campus are focused around specific disciplines and give each student the opportunity to network within their field of interest. Even though Washington State University has limited connections due to its location, there is a strong alumni base that offers various opportunities to students.


 

Strategic Plan #1: Increasing Awarness in Inovation and Entrepreneurship

These opportunities already exist on campus and have the potential to shift the way WSU teaches I&E in the classroom.

Resource Nights:

Resource Nights are part of a 6-week program that offers students the chance to talk to alumni who have created start-ups. They are held in the Spring and run the first 6 weeks into the Spring semester. The speakers' backgrounds are varied and they offer valuable insight on various topics. This program is limited to students who are taking specific courses at WSU. The goal would be to open this up to all disciplines on the campus and give students within STEM programs the opportunities to gain the same knowledge. 

Plan of action:

• Work with the College of Business and Engineering to gain speakers and to network
• Find local businesses that will support the events

Harold Frank Entreprenuership Program: 

The Harold Frank Engineering Entrepreneurship Institute is made up of junior-level engineering and business students who are interested in technological entrepreneurship. The program aims to give students the tools and experiences they need to pursue their ideas. This program also promotes students to be involved on-campus and apply for the business competition offered in the spring. It focuses on creating cohesion between the college of engineering and the college of business. This program gives the students a real experience of the process of working with others with different backgrounds while getting the experience of starting a business from scratch. To be a part of this particular program, there is an application process; however, a majority of the classes in this program are offered to all students. The goal is to make students more aware of the courses within this program that available to them. 

Frank Innovtion Zone:

The Frank Innovation Zone (FIZ) is the first WSU maker space intended for multidisciplinary groups. Existing in the WSU engineering building, the FIZ has several tools to help bring student ideass to life:

• Collaberative tables with TV monitors
  • ​ The walls of the FIZ have large TV screens on them which allows students to hook up their labtops for group projects. This makes doing homework and other projects easier as all memebers can view what is being worked on.
• ​Laser cutter
  • ​The laser cutter can take CAD models and use the specified dimensions to cut out either plastic or wood to help bring student ideas to life.
• ​Wood/Metal fabrication shop
  • ​The wood and metal fabrication shop has many wood working tools to help shape or cut designs of various materials.
• ​3D printing shop
  • ​The 3D printing lab has several variations of 3D printers for plastic design
• Electrical circuits shop
  • The electrical circuits shop has various tools to help bring electronic designs to life. Soldering machines is one of the tools they have avaliable

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"</span>

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"</span>

<span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"</span>

Strategic Plan #2: Becoming more innovated

These plans focus on what can happen within the next year at WSU. 

Innovated Space:

At WSU, there is a lack of creativity within engineering. Many students feel there is not a place to create and that most courses have trained the students to sit at a desk. If an innovation space is created on the WSU campus it will help to promote excitement in STEM programs and will inspire students to reach beyond the classroom. A plan of action has already been taken on by the WSU campus to make this feasible. A proposal by a professor has been submitted to the university for approval of a particular space on campus that will accommodate the needs of students and will be centered in the engineering hub. With this plan moving forward, a space should be obtained and ready for use next year. 

TedX:

WSU this hosting its first TedX. The goal will be to continue this event annually. TedX offers WSU the opportunity to create a community on our campus and share thoughts on innovation to inspire the next generation. The plan of action is to apply for a TedX license and come up with a plan using the TedX manual. The hardest part of planning a TedX at our campus is finding speakers and sponsors, due to our campus's location. 
===

Related Links

Amber Graviet

Washington State University