Priorities:Texas A & M University Student Priorities

Overview

Texas A&M has a large innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem, and it is ranked the sixth largest university in America. They have a lot of resources that are primarily used by faculty and graduate students because of the maturity of their research or seriousness of seeing their idea through. Therefore, there is a gap in undergraduate involvement in the vast amount of resources, due to their lack of confidence or being unaware of the resources that are readily available to them. The primary way this gap can be filled is through students equipping other students with the knowledge and confidence they need to use these resources.

The Innovation Leadership Council, a student organization yet to be created, will become the group of students who are knowledgeable of all resources available on campus. Their primary goal will be to counsel other students to see an idea from start to finish. The council will consist of ten students from various majors around campus such as: Engineering, Agriculture, Biomedical, and Business. Each student will then be responsible for finding a faculty member who will support them, so as to build a council of faculty members for these students to turn to.

At first, the organization will be used to continue building a model of what each major perceives the innovation and entrepreneurial gaps are within their major and what resources are available to fill that gap. All of these resources will then be consolidated into one place where all students can easily access and understand them. There are four stages that students can go through to reach their full potential. When the council is knowledgeable of all available resources on campus, they will begin to seek ways to engage students in innovation and entrepreneurship. The council will engage students through four stages: Excitement, Education, Creation and Support, and Continued Support. These stages are meant to: build personal interest in innovation and entrepreneurship, give students the confidence to begin their journey to have a startup company, help them launch their business or organization, then to connect them with all the resources they need to be independent.

These strategies are primarily focused on equipping undergraduate students with the knowledge they need to follow a great idea from start to finish through using the resources already available at Texas A&M.

This presentation demonstrates the gaps and solutions, which are as written below.

Innovation Leadership Council

Below is a lead model that helps determine the gaps and how to fill them

Tactic #1: Form Student Organization - Innovation Leadership Council

There is a gap that needs to be filled in giving students an avenue to be innovative. Building a council of students who pave the way for others to be innovative would fill this gap. Students will be more willing approach a council of students for advice about their innovative and entrepreneurial ideas. The council can then encourage them and point them in the right direction. The council will constantly be up to date with what is going on in the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem and with the resources available on campus to help students.

Team Leader: Graham, Dean

Milestones:

• Faculty advisor - 12/13
• Student Leaders go through training - 12/13
• Write organization's constitution - 12/13
• Become recognized student organization by university - 12/13

Tactic #2: Build Council Team

To influence innovation and entrepreneurship on a grand scale, you need to build a diverse council from many different majors throughout campus. This will allow the council to be informed on many different events/resources available all over campus. This will make the council all the more influential in how it can help students through whatever phase of innovation they're in, whether it be engineering, agriculture or business.

Team Leader: Graham, Dean

Milestones:

• Determine which majors will benefit the council most - 11/13
• Contact faculty to recommend outstanding students - 11/13
• Interview students - 11/13
• Build council team - 12/13

Tactic #3: Gain Faculty Support

Faculty support is crucial. The faculty are the decision-makers on campus, who can supply the council with whatever resources they need to grow. They are able to advise the council on which direction they are headed and whether or not it will have a positive impact.

Team Leader: Council team

Milestones:

• Inform council team of the importance of faculty support - 12/13
• Council team gains faculty support from each major - 12/13

From Education to Creation & Support

Below is an example of the methods and goals of the council

Tactic #1: Educate Students to Bring Out Their Creativity Through Innovation

There is already a desire in many students to be innovative. The attraction is there, but the avenue needs some work. There are many resources already on campus, but they only attract a specific crowd of students. The Innovation Leadership Council will be able to find which avenue will attract a diverse group of students from all majors to work together. These avenues will challenge students to use what they already know from class, and to educate them on what they want to know. The overall goal with this approach is to give students an environment where they can be innovative and solve a problem with a team.

Team Leader: Council team

Milestones:

• Brainstorm what students want to learn - 2/14
• Create events/competitions where students can be creative - 2/14
• Inform students of events sponsored by other organizations - 2/14

Tactic #2: Creation & Support

Creation and support are the steps where most student projects never move on to the next step. Students are either afraid of failure or are unaware of the resources that it will take to turn their project into a startup company. This is where the council will come in. They will gather all the resources students need and simply point them in the right direction.

Team Leader: Graham

Milestones:

• Obtain support from various resources on/off campus - 1/14
• Find a maker space - 2/14
• Encourage dedicated student teams to take their projects to the next step

Tactic #3: Provide Resources to Build Independence for Innovative Students

It is not enough for innovative students to create a startup; they need continued support to back them up even after college. They need the support of companies or organizations that will give them financial and business advice that will really lift their startup off the ground. This will give students the confidence they need to be independent with their innovative design, even after college.

Team Leader: Council team

Milestones:

• Gather support for specific student teams - 3/14
• Help build their network so they can be independent - 3/14

Related Links

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