Priorities:University of Wisconsin - Madison Student Priorities
Contents
Overview
University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large university, rich with resources for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. As University Innovation Fellows, we have noticed a few gaps on campus that we are excited to address through the following three strategic priorities:
- Strategic Priority 1: Creating valuable mentorship opportunities.
- Strategic Priority 2: Promoting cross-disciplinary networks among students, faculty, and staff.
- Strategic Priority 3: Providing students the opportunity to see how and why innovation and entrepreneurship are important in their fields.
Past accomplishments
1. Little Free Library (Spring 2017)
Description
Developed design session for Human Growth and Family Studies Graduate students focused on the design and rapid prototyping of a “Little Free Library”
Goals
- Open people’s minds to how design thinking is useful, applicable in their areas
- Create an exciting, novel “Little Free Library” design for OneCity schools in Madison, WI
Features
- Two hour design session culminating in the rapid prototyping of “Little Free Libraries”
2. Introduction to Engineering Design - Focus on Inclusion (Spring 2017)
Description
Consulted with Engineering Design 170 on developing inclusive, creative collaboration among freshmen students (Spring 2018). These supplementary activities are still being used in this course.
Goals
- Foster inclusion and psychological safety among students
- Develop freshmen in ideation process, “yes, and…” mindset
Features
- Utilization of d.school “stokes” (interactive activities) during lab sessions to promote excitement, participation, collaboration, depending on what is needed in the room
- Use of “6 Hat Thinking” workshop and debrief to prompt self-reflection on collaborative processes and participation/contribution styles.
Current Projects
1. Student Organization - Focus on Design Process and Outreach (Spring 2017)
Description
Having a student organization dedicated to teaching others how to apply and utilize the design thinking process will allow us to maximize our reach on campus. Ideally, this student organization will allow students of different academic levels and disciplines to see how design thinking can be beneficial to their world. In addition, it will aid us in maintaining communication with students, faculty, and staff about the work we are doing as Fellows on campus.
Goals
- Promote the use of design thinking in more situations than product design
- Provide a platform for students to learn techniques and skills useful in developing a mindset that is conductive to design thinking
- Show students of all academic levels and disciplines why design thinking is something they should be interested in
Features
- Stanford d.school design thinking methods, activities, and mindsets will allow students an opportunity to see how design thinking can be applied to their everyday lives
- The ability for students to bring their own topics and ideas to weekly group meetings will allow students to feel empowered and connected to the idea of design thinking
2. Campaign for Creative Confidence
Description
This is a campaign that begins at the start of every semester. To begin, there will be a large campaign to make students aware of our social media presence, Instagram . This will include being active at SOAR and other student centered events as well as giving out some merchandise and flyers that students could reference. The main purpose of the Instagram page is for students to submit their own or others creative works. These works should include class doodles, interesting course work, drawings from study notes, written works, graffiti on campus, food dishes, and more! The objective is to show different perspectives of creativity, not necessarily the skills behind it. Through showing diverse works, students will gain creative confidence by seeing that someone has liked their work, or someone has decided to post it on social media. On top of student submitted work, there will also be general posts promoting positivity. Students of all disciplines are encouraged to send their post. Once students send in their first posts, they will receive a sticker that has the campaign name on it.
To carry the campaign throughout the semester, there will be cork boards in every college in the building that are dedicated to the campaign. There will be a sign that has the campaign name on it and students are welcome to share their class doodles by physically posting them onto the boards. This will create a sense of community among the people in the building as well as instill confidence in the students who post because they’re able to share their work.
Goals
- Instill creative confidence in students of all disciplines
- Create a campaign to raise awareness
- Get students to interact with the social media and school community cork boards
- Have students understand that the skill set that they have does not correlate with their confidence in their creativity
Features
- Instagram page and hashtag
- Stickers
- Cork boards in every college
Social Media
- Twitter (@UWMadisonUIF)
- Facebook (@UIFMadison)
Media Coverage
- School of Human Ecology: https://sohe.wisc.edu/uws-first-leadership-circle-for-innovation/