Priorities:Hartwick College Student Priorities

Overview:

Hartwick College is liberal arts undergraduate institution located in Oneonta, NY and has a student population of roughly 1,400 individuals that study 31 different majors. 2016 is the first year Hartwick College has participated in the University Innovation Fellows Program, as part of an effort from the administration to increase Innovation and Entrepreneurship on campus.

Through our research, we have identified I&E at Hartwick as a low priority to students, although many individuals within the faculty and staff support efforts to increase its presence on campus. We have found that students are either unaware of the existing resources on campus, or are ill-equipped to efficiently use them. Although there are small pockets of opportunities for I&E to grow on campus, we have concluded that we lack the infrastructure needed to ensure that I&E is engrained into the Hartwick experience. Therefore, we have constructed four different strategies to foster a culture of I&E on campus. Most notably, a makerspace where all existing (and future) resources are compiled into a single space will be integral to the success of fostering an I&E culture on campus.

Strategies to foster a culture of innovation

Strategy #1: Creation of a makerspace with the supplies and resources necessary to inspire/nurture student ideas

• Maintain support and strong ties with administration
• Create relationships with DECA (currently Business Club)
• Have professors in different departments incorporate makerspace into class either through the curriculum or for extra credit
• Incorporate community into makerspace (ex. Tech Center for Gravity in Troy, NY associated with RPI)
• Look into how corporate sponsors could install endowed funding to maintain makerspace and keep up with technology advances in exchange for collaboration with students (i.e. look for upperclassmen to recruit)
• Ensure students find makerspace useful by explaining how all resources can be used (Wick 101/Orientation)

Strategy #2: Regular TedX Talks on campus

• Tie in TedX talks to campus themes; use campus theme as a source of funding
  • Develop campus theme into a student-run program
• Incorporate Ted Talks into faculty classes
• Work with other student organizations to put on events like this that will impact different groups: Alliance, Student Senate, etc.
• Ensure talks are relevant to students and emotional, not completely based on scholarship
• First hold Ted Talk screening events in lieu of hosting an actual TedX Talk to cut down on costs and gain student support/interest.
• Open events up to community and SUNY Oneonta students to charge entrance fees AND bring together I&E champions within the larger community.

Strategy #3: Incorporate I&E into Curriculum

• Identify professors most likely to be interested in teaching I&E.
• Have students compete in Innovation Challenges (Utica 2015, SUNY Oneonta 2016)
• Ensure professors are able to use all resources in makerspace
• Make I&E a LAiP requirement (similar to EL, ILS)
• Move tutoring to makerspace
• Incorporate I&E into FYS classes to familiarize students with Design Thinking/Lean Startup at beginning of college experience
• Heavy emphasis on I&E in senior-level courses where students would be excited to take advantage of networking with leaders of I&E in business

Strategy #4: Give scholarships/funding for I&E projects

• Develop a program for students to submit proposals for funding
• Proposals oriented for on campus or community implementation
• Identify a group of faculty willing to select and mentor student projects
• Have resources and networking opportunities offered through the maker’s space
• Have ideas inspired, and collaborated on in the makerspace

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