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= Project Pitch Video =
 
= Project Pitch Video =
  
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https://youtu.be/ryI_oSt2uKc
  
 
= Overview =
 
= Overview =
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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>
 
<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>
  
= Priority 1: Spark Student Interest =
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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>
  
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">Converse has a longstanding tradition of self-governance. A large portion of her students hold leadership positions on campus. Converse itself is student-regulated, adhering to a unique honor code. The student body is an​ active one, fully involved in the creation and ideation of Converse's future.&nbsp;In any given year, students plan fundraisers to help crisis centers and cancer research institutes, organize trips to serve all over the United States and abroad, perform institutional research, and design new and exciting clubs to promote student involvement. Converse students aren't uninterested; they simply need to be shown value.&nbsp;</span></span></span>
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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>
 +
<br/>
 +
<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>
  
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">Despite their passionate involvement on and off campus, most Converse students simply aren't aware of entrepreneurship and innovation on any scale. Those who are aware of it are intimidated; they equate entrepreneurship with Fortune 500 companies and their firm belief in their inability to succeed. Converse's most popular majors are education, visual and performing arts, the humanities, and social sciences. All fields are integrated. Therefore, there is an imminent need for students in ALL majors to be well acquainted with and experienced in an entrepreneurial, innovative, and collaborative culture.</span></span></span>
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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. =
  
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">Priority One speaks to that process. Entrepreneurship and Innovation, in this case, are not about venture creation, maker spaces, or new engineering departments. They are about the tools and skills an entrepreneur learns that can be applied to every career path. 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.</span></span></span>
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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>
  
'''<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">INDUCTING AN I&E ORGANIZATION WITHIN SGA</span></span></span>'''
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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>
  
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">SGA organizations have tremendous exposure and support on campus. Students need and benefit from a cohesive outlet for their leadership in I&E. Inducting a student led I&E organization through the SGA well enable the UI Fellow and other leaders within the organization to host speakers, buy supplies, run advertising campaigns, pay for field trips to regional accelerators, organize business pitch competitions etc. in order to help students discover I&E. Once the UIF Fellow graduates, the organization will remain and continue to prosper with new leadership.&nbsp;</span></span></span>
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= Priority 3: Increase awareness of the Social Entrepreneurship minor by adding courses that will spark student interest =
 +
<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>
  
= Priority 2: Establish a mutually beneficial relationship between Converse initiatives and Converse curricula =
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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>
'''<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">EXTRA CREDIT FOR ATTENDING I&E EVENTS ON/OFF CAMPUS</span></span></span>'''
 
 
 
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">Securing faculty and staff members’ approval for extra credit opportunities will provide great incentive to students. They will take up extra credit opportunities, venture outside their comfort zone, and return to their classroom and campus with a conviction to learn more and do more.</span></span></span>
 
 
 
'''<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">I&E COMPONENT TO CONVOCATION SERIES</span></span></span>'''
 
 
 
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">Students are required to attend a number of events in different categories every semester in order to develop all aspects of the collegiate spirit. These events span everything from art installations to resume building workshops.</span></span></span>
 
 
 
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">The I&E Convocation Credit component is related to the extra credit proposal above, in that both avenues provide ways to learn more about technology, communication, and creativity outside the traditional spaces of learning.</span></span></span>
 
 
 
= Priority 3: Create opportunities for all students to be engaged with I&E =
 
 
 
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">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.</span></span></span>
 
 
 
<br/><span style="color:#000000;">'''<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">LEADERSHIP RETREAT TRAINING</span></span>'''</span>
 
 
 
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">A large portion of Converse's student body holds a leadership position on campus. Once a year, these students converge in a weekend 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, and serve as extensions of student life.</span></span></span>
 
 
 
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">During this retreat, the principles of design thinking could be taught through placing students in small groups and asking them to tackle a problem creatively. They can move from rapidly brainstorming solutions to presenting their day’s work. This process will strengthen their ability to work in high stress situations, communicate with an interdisciplinary 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 a 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 and beyond.&nbsp;</span></span></span>
 
 
 
= Priority 4: Increase Community-Converse Partnerships =
 
 
 
'''<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">UIF FELLOWS COALITION</span></span></span>'''
 
 
 
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">One of Converse’s largest and mostly untapped advantages is its location in proximity to Wofford College, another UIF school. Other, regional UIF universities with more developed I&E ecosystems include Furman and Clemson.</span></span></span>
 
 
 
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">In planning regional events with colleges like Wofford, Clemson, and Furman, and directing students to resources that Converse may not be able to produce on its own, students will be able to interact with and learn from campus communities right outside their space.</span></span></span>
 
 
 
= Priority 5: Create Pipeline for I&E Students =
 
 
 
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">In developing students' passion 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 which these students can easily navigate.&nbsp;</span></span></span>
 
 
 
'''<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">INTERDISCIPLINARY, COLLEGE-COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMMING</span></span></span>'''
 
 
 
<span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">An area of potentially impactful growth is the establishment of sustainable relationships between Converse and Spartanburg area businesses and nonprofits.</span></span>&nbsp;<span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">Converse already offers team taught courses, bridging disciplines like English and Biology to give students a new perspective in various topics. We propose that business focused students pair up with students in other disciplines to form new solutions for problems. As a school with a history in social entrepreneurship, solving problems in innovative, business focused ways would be a natural progression in programming. These programs could be tailored to help external entities like the Rape Crisis Center, the regional school system, and local nonprofits.&nbsp;</span></span></span>
 
  
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= <br/> =
  
 
= <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Related Links</span><br/> =
 
= <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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'''<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Converse College</span>'''
 
'''<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Converse College</span>'''
  
[[Converse College Student Priorities|<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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'''<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>'''
  
 
[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/15m1w-KyVzg7_QdM8_aACSu7FrUcx9-wm-H2XsMAKT_Y/edit Business Model Canvas]
 
[https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/15m1w-KyVzg7_QdM8_aACSu7FrUcx9-wm-H2XsMAKT_Y/edit Business Model Canvas]
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University Innovation Fellows
 
University Innovation Fellows
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Fall 2019
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[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Aliyah_Hancock Aliyah Hancock&nbsp;]
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[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Jhazmin_Gomez_Reyes Jhazmin Gomez]
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[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Marisa_Kawabe Marisa Kawabe]
  
 
Spring 2016:
 
Spring 2016:
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[[Nadia Gathers|Nadia Gathers]]
 
[[Nadia Gathers|Nadia Gathers]]
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[[Category:Student Priorities|c]]
 
[[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

Contents

Project Pitch Video

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