Difference between revisions of "Resource:How to engage students on a small campus"

From University Innovation Fellows
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 1: Line 1:
= INTRODUCTION =
+
= WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED =
  
<span id="docs-internal-guid-b446acee-67ad-1271-01cf-818ad7a0e62e"><span style="font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This how-to guide is based off an interview with Daricia Wilkinson and Ykeshia Zamore, from the University of the Virgin Islands, who founded a student organization that focused on interdisciplinary collaboration. Inspiring innovation and entrepreneurship in a student body can be difficult, but the problems are abundantly clear when on a small campus. With a small student body, usually a spirit of camaraderie and excitement can be harder to find, with the idea of school spirit nearly non existent. This is not to say however that it is impossible, just more difficult, to engage students on smaller campuses.</span></span>
+
When building an audience at a university, and especially when focusing on student engagement, it is important to have buy-in from three groups: administration, faculty, and students. Each of these groups have a unique set of skills, requirements, and challeges that you must face.
  
 +
== ADMINISTRATION ==
  
 +
The administration of a university are very important when looking at long term goals for your UIF organization on campus. By bringing the administration on board your ideas, you can develop a lasting relationship that can provide support for far-reaching goals, like the ones needed to engage with students.
  
= <span id="docs-internal-guid-24517c09-67bc-cc5a-e465-870f4e6147d9"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Major Components to Involve</span></span> =
+
For example, Daricia Wilkinson & Ykeshia Zamore, UIF Fellows from UVI, put on a hackathon that impressed the president of their university so much that he decided to fund an innovation center. This innovation center helped to spread the message of entrepreneurship within the student body, allowing students another way to engage in the entrepreneurial vision of their school.
  
<span id="docs-internal-guid-24517c09-67bc-cc5a-e465-870f4e6147d9"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">1.</span><span style="font-size: 9.33333px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Administration because they set the vision for the college/university. Administration is the key because they can give you funding and opportunities.</span></span>
+
== FACULTY ==
  
<span id="docs-internal-guid-24517c09-67bc-cc5a-e465-870f4e6147d9"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Example: A lot of effort into organizing Hackathon. The President was so impressed, that he decided to fund the innovation center.</span></span>
+
The faculty of a university are very good in the determination of short term goals for a university, and can help your UIF organization connect with students who are interested in innovation. At a small unviersity in particular, the faculty have a more personal relation with their students, which can lead to the faculty being a good way to spread the message of what it is you do.
  
<br/><span id="docs-internal-guid-24517c09-67bc-cc5a-e465-870f4e6147d9"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">2.</span><span style="font-size: 9.33333px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Faculty because they know the students. They know what motivates them and what they need.</span></span>
+
==STUDENTS==
  
<span id="docs-internal-guid-24517c09-67bc-cc5a-e465-870f4e6147d9"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Example: They can be really encouraging and advocating for students. They can also impact the Administration.</span></span>
+
Of course, when trying to engage students on a small campus, the most important group to interact with are the students themselves. In a smaller school, there i a very real familial aspect to student life, and face-to-face meetings are a good way to get engaged with some students. You can use these preliminary face-to-face meeting to determine what students see as issues, and what misconceptions you may need to help fix.  
  
<br/><span id="docs-internal-guid-24517c09-67bc-cc5a-e465-870f4e6147d9"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">3.</span><span style="font-size: 9.33333px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;">Students. They are the ones you are trying to motivate. In a smaller school the community is more close nich and like a family. With that in mind Face-to-Face personal interaction is you first and best option. With the size being smaller you can be more personal and with being more personal the community engagement will soar. &nbsp;Misconceptions are need to be broken. Example would be “entrepreneurship is only for business students”. Also you will need to address the core of the problem – why don’t students want to get involved? Reason can include class schedule, or lack of awareness.</span></span>
+
=OBSTACLES/BARRIERS=
  
= <br/> =
+
In any student body, there is inevitable push back against any organization. This can happen in particular when the words "entrepreneurship" and "innovation" are used to describe your program. This is due to the misconception that these words denote a

Revision as of 05:42, 22 January 2016

WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED

When building an audience at a university, and especially when focusing on student engagement, it is important to have buy-in from three groups: administration, faculty, and students. Each of these groups have a unique set of skills, requirements, and challeges that you must face.

ADMINISTRATION

The administration of a university are very important when looking at long term goals for your UIF organization on campus. By bringing the administration on board your ideas, you can develop a lasting relationship that can provide support for far-reaching goals, like the ones needed to engage with students.

For example, Daricia Wilkinson & Ykeshia Zamore, UIF Fellows from UVI, put on a hackathon that impressed the president of their university so much that he decided to fund an innovation center. This innovation center helped to spread the message of entrepreneurship within the student body, allowing students another way to engage in the entrepreneurial vision of their school.

FACULTY

The faculty of a university are very good in the determination of short term goals for a university, and can help your UIF organization connect with students who are interested in innovation. At a small unviersity in particular, the faculty have a more personal relation with their students, which can lead to the faculty being a good way to spread the message of what it is you do.

STUDENTS

Of course, when trying to engage students on a small campus, the most important group to interact with are the students themselves. In a smaller school, there i a very real familial aspect to student life, and face-to-face meetings are a good way to get engaged with some students. You can use these preliminary face-to-face meeting to determine what students see as issues, and what misconceptions you may need to help fix.

OBSTACLES/BARRIERS

In any student body, there is inevitable push back against any organization. This can happen in particular when the words "entrepreneurship" and "innovation" are used to describe your program. This is due to the misconception that these words denote a