2016 UIF Pitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAjhrGy_YII

2015 UIF Pitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGugNRw0iQ0

1 Priority 1: Facilitating Collaboration Amongst Elon Clubs
- 1.1 Purpose:
- 1.2 Strategies:
2 Priority 2: Innovating a more Inclusive campus
- 2.1 Purpose:
- 2.2 Strategies:
3 Priority 3: Students Motivating Students in Innovation Learning
- 3.1 Purpose:
- 3.2 Strategies:
4 Priority 4: Creating change in Elon's global perspective
- 4.1 Purpose:
- 4.2 Strategies:
5 Priority 5: Innovating for Stronger Alumni Support
- 5.1 Purpose:
- 5.2 Strategies:
6 Priority #6: Sustainable Innovation
- 6.1 Purpose:
- 6.2 Strategies:
7 Priority #7: Elon Innovators Network
- 7.1 Purpose:
- 7.2 Strategies:
8 Priority #8: Interdisciplinary Classes
- 8.1 Purpose:
- 8.2 Strategies:
9 Priority #9: Increase Innovation and Entrepreneurship Engagement
- 9.1 Purpose:
- 9.2 Strategies:
10 Priority #10: Pitch Contest to Alumni Network (2022)
- 10.1 Purpose:
11 Priority #11: Study Space Redesign (2022)
- 11.1 Purpose:
- 11.2 Strategies:
12 Priority 12: On Campus Dog Park (2022)
- 12.1 Purpose:
- 12.2 Strategies:
13 Priority 13: Tech Free Environment (2022)
- 13.1 Purpose:
- 13.2 Strategies:
14 Priority 14: Expanding Community Spaces on Campus (2023)
- 14.1 Purpose:
- 14.2 Strategies:
15 Priority 15: Project 2: Reworking Elon's connection sites (2023)
- 15.1 Purpose:
- 15.2 Strategies:
16 Priority 16: First Year Mentoring Program (2023)
- 16.1 Purpose:
- 16.2 Strategies:
17 Priority 17: Improving Student Used Locations (2023)
- 17.1 Purpose:
- 17.2 Strategies:
18 Priority 18: Umbrella Rentals (2023)
- 18.1 Purpose:
- 18.2 Strategies:
19 Priority 19: Improving Student Awareness (2024)
- 19.1 Purpose:
- 19.2 Strategies:

Priority 1: Facilitating Collaboration Amongst Elon Clubs

Purpose:

Because Elon is full of driven students, the school has developed a culture of students being overly involved. As a result, students are stretched too thin and struggle to find moments to just breathe. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to bring organizations with similar goals together in order to make the most of events and students' time. By improving communication and forming relationships between different clubs, resources will be used more efficiently and students will find that they can better handle their schedules without having to compromise their passions for being part of a variety of different organizations.

Strategies:

• Partner with Elon Student Involvement Ambassadors to recruit student leaders for our project

• Work with Phoenix Connect to add improvements that will encourage communication amongst organization leaders

• Create a curriculum for future students to follow to ensure our project continues on

• Spread awareness of our platform and group to organizations throughout campus so students begin embracing our space

Priority 2: Innovating a more Inclusive campus

Purpose:

This is an initiative to have a more casual, easy access dialogues surrounding by diversity. The idea is to have easy conversations surrounding the backgrounds, experiences, turning point, and goals of our beloved faculty members. Elon faculty do a fantastic job of mentoring students but some students are not as willing to reach out for a one on one advising. This program will be designed as a series of ongoing weekly dialogues between a faculty member on a specific theme or question giving the students the opportunity to hear more about how their professors found themselves at Elon or in their area of interest. This program capitalizes on diversity of thought and diversity which is very much present at Elon but lacks a discussion to surround it. This brings the liberal arts education to life outside of the classroom, inspiring students to explore new areas and have a more fluid discussion surrounding inclusion.

Strategies:

More fluid conversations surrounding diversity, diversity of thought, experience, background
Faculty transparency = student commitment
Ties to: diversity / inclusion, design thinking (personal application), personal wellness
Themed, casual discussions

Priority 3: Students Motivating Students in Innovation Learning

Purpose:

Inform the Elon community as a whole about innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities by allowing students to teach and motivate each other. By doing this, students can feed off each other and create more ideas than they could when learning on their own.

Strategies:

Allow for students to create their own plans for learning about innovation.

Reach out to teachers to understand the ways in which students learn best.

Evaluate which learning activities seem to help students grasp innovation concepts better than others.

Priority 4: Creating change in Elon's global perspective

Purpose:

To connect students to peers throughout the country, both through Unniversity Innovation Fellows and through study abroad. By doing so, students better understand the world around them, even if they do not have the opportunity to leave the country they reside in. Additionally, this will better build students to be global citizens and informed leaders.

Strategies:

Create partnership programs with communities world wide
Allow students to get a taste of foreign country’s before they go abroad by interacting with individuals from those places.
Providing the opportunities for Elon students with the chance to get a look in a culture that they might not ever be able to experience.
Make connections with UIF teams in other countries

Priority 5: Innovating for Stronger Alumni Support

Purpose:

Recently an app was developed to connect Elon Alumni to current students. While Elon has many resources for student outreach through our student professional development center, students often struggle to forge individual connections. Our purpose here is to help students get involved with it. In doing sostudents can build sturdy relationships that can prove helpful for years to come.

Strategies:

Getting students involved in the alumni / student connection app startup
Expanding Linkedin movement, facilitating discussions
Pairing seniors and alumni
Pairing freshman and alumni
Alumni monthly speakers
Students can request alumni mentors at any time

Priority #6: Sustainable Innovation

Purpose:

The sustainability Innovation mission at Elon University strives to bring more awareness on sustainability in clothing matter. The intention for this project is to allow students to be more engaged on certain innovative ways to incorporate reusable items into clothing. For example, students can learn more about how recyclable ocean plastic can be transformed into everyday essential items. In addition, students can engage in competitions or engineering projects such as 3D printed manufactured items which can allow for higher appeal in the fashion industry as well as less repurposing of waste products. As part of this mission, Elon will use Innovative fabric made from 100% recyclable clothing and clever recycling will be used for innovative projects on campus These projects include competitions, and additional projects aimed for students completing Engineering and biomedical research, etc.

Strategies:

Create sustainability on campus by coming up with innovative ways to incorporate reusable items in clothing.
Focus on recycling
Making use out of innovation spaces which increase appeal and then lead to less waste

Priority #7: Elon Innovators Network

Purpose:

One way to encourage others to take their ideas and dreams to the next level is to show them that it has and is being done! This project would seek to shine a light on Elon’s current and past entrepreneurs.

Strategies:

Contact individual currently in charge of Doherty Center Electronic message board TV.

Research students involved with I&E on campus.

Email these students asking for a “profile”.

Feature students on the board and expand to online.

Establish an Elon Innovators page on various social media platforms.

Feature students and alumni working on innovative and entrepreneurial projects.

Priority #8: Interdisciplinary Classes

Purpose:

One opportunity for improvement at Elon is a current lack of interdisciplinary courses which bring together different subjects to engage students in subjects outside of their majors. Elon should create courses to combat this which bring together the different disciplines offered on campus to offer students a well-rounded education by connecting areas of study.

Strategies:

Strategize with a team to create and test prototype (aka mock syllabi, possible coursework, lecturers, etc.).

Get feedback from students to gauge who would be interested, gain support.

Contact the Dean of the Love School of Business, Raghu Tadepalli, about the possibility of the course(s).

Propose course(s) to academic council, department heads of all schools, provost, and more faculty who could help introduce the course(s) into our curriculum.

Priority #9: Increase Innovation and Entrepreneurship Engagement

Purpose:

The campus does not lack innovation or entrepreneurship events and resources. Instead, the campus must cultivate student engagement in entrepreneurship and innovation. There are more events hosted than students who attend. In order to increase engagement with entrepreneurship courses, maker hub spaces, and other opportunities, there must be an investigation into the lack of student involvement.

Strategies:

Engage Elon students in conversations and surveys with students in regards to their motivation for attending campus events. The following questions can guide the conversation:

a. How did you find out about this event? (Email Newsletter, Flyer, Word-of-mouth)

b. Is this event related to your major?

c. Were you required to attend?

Analyze data compiled by Nicole Filippo, communications manager, to explore university advertisement engagement rates. It will help determine how to target students who express interest in innovation and

entrepreneurship events.

Implement a method of working from the inside-out: Focus on engaging students who express an interest in innovation and entrepreneurship before reaching out to the broader student body.

Speak with students who have previously run successful events and determine causation for the student-body turnout.

Compile an overview of sources and successful methods of student engagement across campus.

Move entrepreneurship events to theaters with larger foot traffic such as Turner Theatre in the School of Communications.

Priority #10: Pitch Contest to Alumni Network (2022)

Purpose:

Students in all different organizations across the University desire to innovate and create products that are better than before. Students do not just need to be an entrepreneurship major, innovation fellow, or other involvement within the business school to crave this feeling of innovation. Creating a pitch contest that allows students to pitch their ideas to alumni that are innovators in these students business field would allow for students to gather knowledge, experience, and potentially raise money for their idea.

Strategies

Connect with professors in different departments to gauge interest
Connect with faculty that work directly with alumni to understand how we can best reach out to alumni
Talk to professors within entrepreneurship field to gather information on pitch contest

Priority #11: Study Space Redesign (2022)

Purpose:

Our prototype testing indicated that students currently lack a space that combats burnout and creative block as they work on projects and academics.

Strategies:

Discussion with research participants informed a few possible approaches to improving the student experience with problem-solving endeavors and academic projects:

Design a study space or overhaul an existing maker space with...

a. "time out" activities for constructive breaks (play dough, art supplies, music, exercise equipment, etc.)

b. strong community-centric atmosphere

c. increased connection with natural elements (plants, natural light, etc.)

With several maker spaces and study spots currently on campus, there is significant opportunity to leverage these existing resources in designing for an improved student study experience.

Priority 12: On Campus Dog Park (2022)

Purpose:

Many students on Elon's campus have emotional support animals as pets on campus, which at most times are dogs. These dogs can only go out of their owners dorm when their owner returns home, and for certain pet owners they might only be home once a day. The spaces dedicated for on campus animals to go, run and play are zero. This results in most animals being walked by their owner once every few days on a leash. There should be a place for animals to run, play and be on campus that does not disrupt students, but also does not disrupt animals safety and well being.

Strategies:

-Partner with Elon Student Involvement Ambassadors to recruit student leaders for our project

-Find a place on campus to build a dog park

-Survey students to see how many pets are on campus, which kind, which breed etc.

-Figure out if it would be better for it to be public/private, student only etc.

-Partner with Burlington Animal Shelter to get the word out

Priority 13: Tech Free Environment (2022)

Purpose:

The work life balance portrayed by universities leads to an environment where people are spending a majority of their time behind screens. Our goals are to make a place where student can leave their stresses behind and come to unplug. Everyday it seems the need for a tangible place for students to unwind increases.

Strategies:

- interview students to see what extra things they would want in these spaces

- make quiet areas people can relax

- have a sense of community in a stress free environment

Elon University Wiki

University Innovation Fellows

Fall 2020: Christina Wyatt, Haydn Stucker, Jakob Reuter, Jane Ragland, Maggie Cox, Riley Corvin, Zoë Rein

Fall 2019: Julia Perline, Alaa Suleiman, Sam Gans, Lilly Rothschild

Fall 2018: Gillian Hook, Sydney Thornton

Spring 2018: Yousaf Khan, Regan O'Donnell, Noor Irshaidat, Haley Brengartner

Spring 2017: Josh Cadorette, Briana Brady, James Setzer, Nick Smith

Spring 2016: Elizabeth Jordan, Gabrielle Vance, Sean Webber, Kyle McKinley, William Kakavas

Spring 2015: Ben Driscoll, Jensen Roll, Matt Snow, Giles Roll

Priority 14: Expanding Community Spaces on Campus (2023)

Purpose:

The work life balance portrayed by universities leads to an environment where people are spending a majority of their time behind screens. Elon University's dorms are split up into neighborhoods, and some of the neighborhoods have small community events. Our goals are to make places where student can leave their stresses behind and come to unplug through community events and bonding with the people that they live with. Everyday it seems the need for a tangible place for students to unwind increases, and the community spaces on campus can be greatly improved and expanded.

Strategies:

- interview students to see what extra things they would want in these spaces

- make quiet areas people can relax

- have a sense of community in a stress free environment

Priority 15: Project 2: Reworking Elon's connection sites (2023)

Purpose:

First year students can have a lot of trouble navigating the various websites students are required to use. Some of the most notable difficult to use websites include Phoenix Connect, OnTrack, and Elon Self Service. Ideally these websites should be either combined or reworked individually to provide freshmen with the accessible tools necessary to make the transition to college smooth.

Strategies:

- Talk to website owners/creators to possibly redesign the layout

- Ask students what they think should change/fix on Ontrack, Moodle, Phenix Connect, Acorn App (first year students - portal)

- If students agree, show university some sort of data/poll that shows the area in need of improvement

Priority 16: First Year Mentoring Program (2023)

Purpose:

Students first semester of college can be an incredibly stressful time in their life. Many of the students are coming to school far away from their families, and often knowing no one. Paring students with upper class-men, and other incoming students, would allow students to make connections to people on campus before arriving. It would also provide students the ability to ask questions directly to other students who had recently been through the same experiences that will be going trough. The goal of this program would be to introduce firs year students to other students, and to try to make the transition period to college more enjoyable and relaxing.

Strategies:

- Pair students who are willing to be mentors with incoming students

- Change orientation groups to include more group communication before school starts

- Work with on campus organizations that have mentoring program to help form a curriculum that would allow mentors to better engage with incoming students

Priority 17: Improving Student Used Locations (2023)

Purpose:

Academic life is important at college, but the time spent outside of class unwinding can be just as important. Elon's campus has continually been expanded upon, but the pre existing spaces, while well maintained, are not updated often. The goal of this project is to bring new life to spaces used by students in an attempt to increase the spaces that students enjoy being in, on campus. By renovating commonly used student spaces, more students would be enticed to engage with the spaces on campus and to explore the resources provided by the campus.

Strategies:

- Interview students to see what they would like to see added to the spaces that they use

- Talk with campus staff to understand what can be changed on campus

- Interview students about what spaces they did not know about to understand what spaces are under utilized

Priority 18: Umbrella Rentals (2023)

Purpose:

Elon University receives a decent amount of rain fall each year. While there is often warnings of rain, there are many times where students are caught out in the rain. This project would be focused on placing umbrella rental services in several of the main buildings around campus. Students would be able to rent umbrellas using their Phoenix cards for free. To ensure the return of the umbrellas, there would be a fee placed on the students if the umbrella is not returned or damaged. The technological systems that would be needed for this project are already in place on the campus and would not need to be built. This project would allow students to rent and use umbrellas without paying or bringing umbrellas with them.

Strategies:

- Talk with physical plant to find what places on campus we could put umbrellas rental services

- Talk with students to see if they would be interested in having umbrella rentals on campus

Priority 19: Improving Student Awareness (2024)

Purpose:

Elon has a lot of clubs, extracurricular activities, innovative efforts and other programs. Elon does not have a huge amount of man power to allocate people to advertise to students. Our project would be a set structure for Elon Core or 1010 teachers to incorporate into their class schedule. It would be a concentrated list of activities and programs Elon offers, students would sign up for a specific program for example "Elon Clubs" and give a brief presentation on where to sign up for these clubs, give some examples and some more information on how to get involved. This would help Elon outsource, help freshman learn more about Elon and help teachers fill in curriculum in some mandatory freshman classes.