Difference between revisions of "Priorities:Converse College Student Priorities"

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= Overview =
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= Project Pitch Video =
  
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Converse College was founded on the radical idea that young women deserved a space, designed for them, to pursue higher education. Since that first year, Converse has continued to help those women find their voice, understand their true value, and refine their vision.  As times change, however, so must we. How might we continue to adapt converse’s founding principles in order to serve a new generation of women?
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https://youtu.be/ryI_oSt2uKc
  
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We, as students, are entering a post-grad landscape far different than our predecessors. Steeped in technology, and connected on a massive, global scale, the tools we need to be successful in the world outside Converse’s campus are ever-changing. It is time for us to foster an innovative, creative ecosystem where failure is nothing but a starting point, and problems are nothing but opportunities. 
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= Overview =
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= Priority One: Spark Student Interest & Create Concrete Value =
 
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Converse has a longstanding tradition of self-governance. A large portion of her students hold leadership positions on campus, and Converse itself is student-regulated, adhering to a traditional honor code. The student body is an active one, fully involved in the creation and ideation of Converse's future.
 
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However, most students simply aren't aware of entrepreneurship and innovation on any scale, especially not on Converse's campus. Engineering students spend only two years on campus, taking the basic courses before heading off to Clemson. Computer science majors are few and far between. What Converse lacks in technical majors, however, it makes up for in its empassioned students. In any given year, students plan fundraisers to help crisis centers and cancer research institutes, organize trips to serve all over the United States, perform institutional research, and design new and exciting clubs to promote student involvement. Converse students aren't uninterested, they simply need to be shown the value.
 
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Prirority one speaks to that process. Entrepreneeurship and Innovation, in this case, are not about venture creation, maker spaces, or new engineering deapartments. They are about the tools and skills an entrepreneur learns that can be applied to every career path once out of Converse's walls. This process is about speaking to the interests of our student body, and introducing them to skills and themes that can help them in all disciplines.  
 
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== PITCHConverse ==
 
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Most pitch competitions revolve around business ideas. PITCHConverse is about community engagement. Students will be presented with a question, anything from "how might we improve the lives of south carolinian children?" to "how might we use technology in new ways on campus?" Solutions to these problems will be presented in a typical one minute format at an event sponsored by the Converse Honors Program and Religious Life. 
 
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PITCHConverse is designed to help students become acquainted with entrepreneurial keywords, themes, and ideas. It also introduces them to facets of the entrepreneurial toolkit, including concise, clear communication skills, and innovative problem solving. Overall, it is designed to be the first major starting block for students to begin their participation in institutional I&E.
 
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PITCHConverse is scheduled for late spring 2015. In the next month, the engaged parties will need to: choose the high level question respondents will be engaging with, begin the advertisement campaign, decide on and reserve a location, and accrue the funding for the prizes.
 
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== Convocation Series ==
 
  
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Students are required to attend a number of events in different categories every semester in order to develop all aspects of the human spirit. these events span everything from art installations to resume building workshops. The Convocation Series' leadership component seeks to strengthen the professional capabilities of students through participation in student government and career development workshops. We believe that this requirement is an excellent way to introduce students to the world of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
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<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">Converse College was founded on the radical idea that young women deserved a space designed for them to pursue higher education. Since that first year, Converse has continued to help women find their voice, understand their true value, and pursue their vision. &nbsp;As times change, however, so must we. How might we continue to adapt Converse’s founding principles in order to serve a new generation of women?</span></span></span>
  
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Through partnerships with organizations like Venture for America, we will bring in lecturers in the fields of I&E to share their stories. If students cannot envision a future in which they apply these skills, they will never decide to pursue them. Females especially suffer from a lack of strong depictions of women in I&E. Bringing in success stories to share everything from the details of education tracks, to what a personal life looks like when entering these fields will provide a basis against which students can begin to envision themselves.
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<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">We, as students, are entering a post-graduation landscape far different than that of our predecessors. Steeped in technology and connected on a global scale, the tools we need to be successful in the world outside Converse’s campus are ever-changing. It is time for us to foster an innovative, creative ecosystem where failure is nothing but a starting and learning point, and problems are nothing but opportunities.&nbsp;</span></span></span>
  
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The Convocation series, leadership events in particular, &nbsp;also includes professional skill development. These events would be great places to introduce skills in technology, communication and creativity. Introducing themes seen in I&E will make the transition to explicit I&E a little easier.
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= Priority 1: Increase awareness of the Social Entrepreneurship minor by adding courses that will spark student interest =
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<div><br/></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-a39d6f75-7fff-ad81-49d4-08889eceafc7"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Social Entrepreneurship is an interdisciplinary minor that caters to all majors to students who are interested in learning how to create and maintain social enterprises in order to contribute to society. The courses offered include general business classes, marketing, economics, english, psychology, philosophy, and theatre, but most of the courses are heavily business based. Due to this reason, many students do not realize that the minor exists. Other students simply are not motivated to start or complete the minor because there are not any courses that&nbsp; guide students to define social problems and design different approaches to solutions.&nbsp;</span></span>
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<div><br/>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-4bcc9d3b-7fff-1a68-05e7-7c530c32c83b"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Potential Courses that can be added</span></span>
  
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= Priority Two: Foster Entrepreneurial Toolkit =
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-4bcc9d3b-7fff-1a68-05e7-7c530c32c83b"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Diverse Training: Fighting Hate & Bias and Social Justice are two topics that conveniently overlap. This course is different from courses already offered due to the nature of information and topics that would be discussed and the interdisciplinary aspect. This course would involve between 2-5 professors who teach History, Politics, Women’s Studies, Economics, and Philosophy. Topics that would be taught include analyzing underrepresented groups, exploring and analyzing different forms of hate and bias and how they occur, discuss variations of how to achieve equality, learn how to combat hate and bias inside and outside the workplace, and completing a group or class campaign about a specific social issue agreed upon that will take place in Converse for 1 day- 1 week.</span></span>
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<br/>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-4bcc9d3b-7fff-1a68-05e7-7c530c32c83b"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Design Thinking would explore what design thinking is by analyzing case study examples. There will be activities conducted in the beginning of classes in order to ignite curiosity and creativity in order to free the mindset of limited possibilities. There will also be a project that would take place in small groups or as a class effort to showcase what design thinking is and to spark interest to Converse students from various disciplines.</span></span>
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<div><br/></div></div>
  
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Once students are aware of I&E on a grander scale, they can start building the skills necessary to be successful. This priority section focuses primarily on building the skills of Innovation and Entrepreneurship applicable to all disciplines.
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= Priority 2: Creating a student council to be the liaison between students and the President regarding the Strategic Plan and its progress from 2018-2023. =
  
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== Leadership Retreat Training ==
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-e6c539b3-7fff-12bc-7ba5-e0acf300a52d"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Converse’s strategic Plan was created around the framework in our mission and core values. Three themes serve as the pillar for the plan: Vibrant Community, Academic Excellence, and Sustainable Future. The plan was developed in 2018 and the next steps are research to develop actionable plans, budgets, and timelines.&nbsp;</span></span>
  
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A large portion of Converse's student body holds a leadership position on campus. One a year, these students converge in a multiple day leadership retreat, where they learn the basics of heading the coalitions and student boards they will be taking part in the entire school year. These students are go-getters- they have run for office, started organizations, or serve as extensions of student life.
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-e6c539b3-7fff-12bc-7ba5-e0acf300a52d"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Having a student council as a liaison between the President and the students will make it easier to communicate student needs and to test the effectiveness of what is being implemented. The SGA President will begin the process of creating the council. The president will report back to PCO (President of Clubs and Organizations) to begin the form of communication. The students that have been chosen are valuable leaders on campus from diverse backgrounds and are dedicated to working diligently to continue the plan evaluation and implementation until its completion in 2023.&nbsp;</span></span>
  
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During this retreat, we proposition that the principles of design thinking are taught much like it was taught to members of the University Innovation Fellows community at the regional meetup in Greenville, South Carolina. Students will be given a high level task, that they can divide into How Might We's, and rapidly move from brainstormnig solutions to presenting their days work. this process, we believe will strengthen their ability to work in high stress situations, communicate with a group, quickly prototype and roll out potential solutions, and learn from failures. Use of this model rather than preaching the tenets of leadership would be an amazing, fast paced way to get these students immersed in I&E culture while also learning tangible skills that will aid them throughout the school year.
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= Priority 3: Increase awareness of the Social Entrepreneurship minor by adding courses that will spark student interest =
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<div><div>The Social Entrepreneurship is an interdisciplinary minor that caters to all majors to students who are interested in learning how to create and maintain social enterprises in order to contribute to society. The courses offered include general business classes, marketing, economics, english, psychology, philosophy, and theatre, but most of the courses are heavily business based. Due to this reason, many students do not realize that the minor exists. Other students simply are not motivated to start or complete the minor because there are not any courses that&nbsp; guide students to define social problems and design different approaches to solutions. Before adding additional courses that are not offered, the minor will be enhanced by changing the course requirements.&nbsp;</div><div><br/></div><div>Potential Courses that can be added</div><div>Diverse Training: Fighting Hate & Bias and Social Justice are two topics that conveniently overlap. This course is different from courses already offered due to the nature of information and topics that would be discussed and the interdisciplinary aspect. This course would involve between 2-5 professors who teach History, Politics, Women’s Studies, Economics, and Philosophy. Topics that would be taught include analyzing underrepresented groups, exploring and analyzing different forms of hate and bias and how they occur, discuss variations of how to achieve equality, learn how to combat hate and bias inside and outside the workplace, and completing a group or class campaign about a specific social issue agreed upon that will take place in Converse for 1 day- 1 week</div><div><br/></div><div>Design Thinking would explore what design thinking is by analyzing case study examples. There will be activities conducted in the beginning of classes in order to ignite curiosity and creativity in order to free the mindset of limited possibilities. There will also be a project that would take place in small groups or as a class effort to showcase what design thinking is and to spark interest to Converse students from various disciplines.</div><div><br/></div></div>
  
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= Priority Three: Increase Community-Converse Partnerships =
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= Priority 4: Increase student’s networking abilities and entrepreneurial skills by offering more internship and job opportunities through the college. =
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<div><div><div>In this class, professors at Converse would connect students with local businesses, with which partnerships with the college would be made.&nbsp; This class would allow students to learn how to reach out to businesses, along with getting the hands on experience and networking experience with companies throughout the school year. Students would have the opportunity to intern with a company for a semester, volunteer at events on campus, have an entry level position with a company, and much more. This would allow students to network more with the community, and possibly find future job opportunities after college.&nbsp;</div><div><br/></div></div></div>
  
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Converse is a small institution that, as mentioned earlier, doesn't have a mountain of technological resources ready to deploy at a whim. However, we are surrounded by other members of the University Fellows community in close proximity to our own institution.
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= <br/> =
  
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== UI Fellows Coalition ==
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= <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Related Links</span><br/> =
  
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By tapping into resources like furman, Clemson, and Wofford, our students will hopefully be able to not only learn what Entrepreneurship and Innovation movements look liek at our own school, but also at others. In planning regional events, and pushing students to resoures that Converse may not be able to produce on its own, students will be able to interact with a number of communities right outide their window. This four school coalition will seek to support and expand any movements we make at our own institutions.&nbsp;
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'''<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Converse College</span>'''
  
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= Priority Four: Create Pipeline for I&E Students&nbsp; =
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'''<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Converse College Student Priorities</span>'''
  
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Once a student has decided that I&E is the way for them to go, there are no concrete steps for them to take. In developing students passionate about this movement, we must also understand that they require a path necessary to follow once they are dedicated. Priority four is tasked primarily with the development of concrete institutional pathways through which these students can easily navigate.&nbsp;
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[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/15m1w-KyVzg7_QdM8_aACSu7FrUcx9-wm-H2XsMAKT_Y/edit Business Model Canvas]
  
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== Interdisciplinary Programming ==
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Converse College Project Pitch:&nbsp;[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0cd6s6FWAI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0cd6s6FWAI]
  
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Converse already offers team taught courses, bridging disciplines like english and bioogy to give students a new perspective in various topics. We offer that business focused students pair up with students in other disciplines to form new solutions for problems outside profit expansion. As a school with a history in social entrepreneurship, solving problems in innovative, business focused ways would be a natural progression in programming. Much like Extreme by Design, these programs cold be tailored to help externally contracted entities like the Rape Crisis Center, the regional school system, or local nonprofits.&nbsp;
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University Innovation Fellows
  
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== Course Offerings ==
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Fall 2019
  
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Social Entrepreneurship was the only class offered in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. As we expand the horizons of individual students, the course offerings must expand as well.. At a small instituion, this is often tricky. However, using the tools we showed earlier, we can find ways to make I&E classes open and inclusive, to require GEP, and multidiscipline curse requirements.&nbsp;
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[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Aliyah_Hancock Aliyah Hancock&nbsp;]
  
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== Social Entrepreneurship Minor ==
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[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Jhazmin_Gomez_Reyes Jhazmin Gomez]
  
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As an Algernon Sydney Sullivan School, we offer that Social Entrepreneurship deserves a concrete place in our institutions curriculum. By instituting a Social Entrepreneurship minor and the courses involved, a support system is established for those students looking to more fully explore in the field. This process will develop faculty who are knowledgeable in the subject, &nbsp;as well as explicit pathways for individuals to follow once they are invested in I&E.&nbsp;
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[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Marisa_Kawabe Marisa Kawabe]
  
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= Related Links =
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Spring 2016:
  
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[[Converse College|Converse_College]]
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[[Sanuja Goonetilleke|Sanuja Goonetiieke]]
  
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Landscape Canvas:&nbsp;[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JVaZ9GOkZr8fR-M77oq20ffKLskqlyEIz68s3UN2Ahk/edit#gid=0 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JVaZ9GOkZr8fR-M77oq20ffKLskqlyEIz68s3UN2Ahk/edit#gid=0]
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Spring 2015:
  
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Business Model Canvas:&nbsp;[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1tOhh8s1tTxbIJS6XLpmX_CkDbZBkq5iGWYdCfV98eBE https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1tOhh8s1tTxbIJS6XLpmX_CkDbZBkq5iGWYdCfV98eBE]
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[[Nadia Gathers|Nadia Gathers]]
  
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PITCHConverse Video:&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNAWtqzuxJI&feature=youtu.be
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[[Category:Student Priorities|c]]
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[[Category:Student Priorities]]
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[[Category:Student Priorities]]
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[[Category:Converse_College]]
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[[Category:Student_Priorities]]
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{{CatTree|Converse_College}}

Latest revision as of 19:23, 5 June 2020

Project Pitch Video

https://youtu.be/ryI_oSt2uKc

Overview

Converse College was founded on the radical idea that young women deserved a space designed for them to pursue higher education. Since that first year, Converse has continued to help women find their voice, understand their true value, and pursue their vision.  As times change, however, so must we. How might we continue to adapt Converse’s founding principles in order to serve a new generation of women?

We, as students, are entering a post-graduation landscape far different than that of our predecessors. Steeped in technology and connected on a global scale, the tools we need to be successful in the world outside Converse’s campus are ever-changing. It is time for us to foster an innovative, creative ecosystem where failure is nothing but a starting and learning point, and problems are nothing but opportunities. 

Priority 1: Increase awareness of the Social Entrepreneurship minor by adding courses that will spark student interest


The Social Entrepreneurship is an interdisciplinary minor that caters to all majors to students who are interested in learning how to create and maintain social enterprises in order to contribute to society. The courses offered include general business classes, marketing, economics, english, psychology, philosophy, and theatre, but most of the courses are heavily business based. Due to this reason, many students do not realize that the minor exists. Other students simply are not motivated to start or complete the minor because there are not any courses that  guide students to define social problems and design different approaches to solutions. 


Potential Courses that can be added

Diverse Training: Fighting Hate & Bias and Social Justice are two topics that conveniently overlap. This course is different from courses already offered due to the nature of information and topics that would be discussed and the interdisciplinary aspect. This course would involve between 2-5 professors who teach History, Politics, Women’s Studies, Economics, and Philosophy. Topics that would be taught include analyzing underrepresented groups, exploring and analyzing different forms of hate and bias and how they occur, discuss variations of how to achieve equality, learn how to combat hate and bias inside and outside the workplace, and completing a group or class campaign about a specific social issue agreed upon that will take place in Converse for 1 day- 1 week.
Design Thinking would explore what design thinking is by analyzing case study examples. There will be activities conducted in the beginning of classes in order to ignite curiosity and creativity in order to free the mindset of limited possibilities. There will also be a project that would take place in small groups or as a class effort to showcase what design thinking is and to spark interest to Converse students from various disciplines.


Priority 2: Creating a student council to be the liaison between students and the President regarding the Strategic Plan and its progress from 2018-2023.

Converse’s strategic Plan was created around the framework in our mission and core values. Three themes serve as the pillar for the plan: Vibrant Community, Academic Excellence, and Sustainable Future. The plan was developed in 2018 and the next steps are research to develop actionable plans, budgets, and timelines. 

Having a student council as a liaison between the President and the students will make it easier to communicate student needs and to test the effectiveness of what is being implemented. The SGA President will begin the process of creating the council. The president will report back to PCO (President of Clubs and Organizations) to begin the form of communication. The students that have been chosen are valuable leaders on campus from diverse backgrounds and are dedicated to working diligently to continue the plan evaluation and implementation until its completion in 2023. 

Priority 3: Increase awareness of the Social Entrepreneurship minor by adding courses that will spark student interest

The Social Entrepreneurship is an interdisciplinary minor that caters to all majors to students who are interested in learning how to create and maintain social enterprises in order to contribute to society. The courses offered include general business classes, marketing, economics, english, psychology, philosophy, and theatre, but most of the courses are heavily business based. Due to this reason, many students do not realize that the minor exists. Other students simply are not motivated to start or complete the minor because there are not any courses that  guide students to define social problems and design different approaches to solutions. Before adding additional courses that are not offered, the minor will be enhanced by changing the course requirements. 

Potential Courses that can be added
Diverse Training: Fighting Hate & Bias and Social Justice are two topics that conveniently overlap. This course is different from courses already offered due to the nature of information and topics that would be discussed and the interdisciplinary aspect. This course would involve between 2-5 professors who teach History, Politics, Women’s Studies, Economics, and Philosophy. Topics that would be taught include analyzing underrepresented groups, exploring and analyzing different forms of hate and bias and how they occur, discuss variations of how to achieve equality, learn how to combat hate and bias inside and outside the workplace, and completing a group or class campaign about a specific social issue agreed upon that will take place in Converse for 1 day- 1 week

Design Thinking would explore what design thinking is by analyzing case study examples. There will be activities conducted in the beginning of classes in order to ignite curiosity and creativity in order to free the mindset of limited possibilities. There will also be a project that would take place in small groups or as a class effort to showcase what design thinking is and to spark interest to Converse students from various disciplines.

Priority 4: Increase student’s networking abilities and entrepreneurial skills by offering more internship and job opportunities through the college.

In this class, professors at Converse would connect students with local businesses, with which partnerships with the college would be made.  This class would allow students to learn how to reach out to businesses, along with getting the hands on experience and networking experience with companies throughout the school year. Students would have the opportunity to intern with a company for a semester, volunteer at events on campus, have an entry level position with a company, and much more. This would allow students to network more with the community, and possibly find future job opportunities after college. 


Related Links

Converse College

Converse College Student Priorities

Business Model Canvas

Converse College Project Pitch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0cd6s6FWAI

University Innovation Fellows

Fall 2019

Aliyah Hancock 

Jhazmin Gomez

Marisa Kawabe

Spring 2016:

Sanuja Goonetiieke

Spring 2015:

Nadia Gathers

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