Resource:How to create connective tissue between I&E organizations
Contents
Create a new club or organization
Peer to peer student organizations are powerful tools to connect with like-minded, highly motivated individuals. Student led clubs and organizations are excellent launching points for innovative ideas due to the supportive nature of Universities. Often, universities will have workshops and detailed instructions on how to create a student organization, which makes the process little more than a short to-do list of forms. Jared Karp is a brilliant example of a student generating and leading a peer-to-peer movement by taking adbantage of his university's student organization support structures. Karp was able to found a student organization through his university, University of California, Berkeley, and receive startup funding as a student organization to proliferate his idea of a design and innovation space.
Intro
Jared Karp, a 4th year mechanical engineering student, founded the Design Engineering Collaborative at University of California, Berkeley. The student organization's initial goal was to secure a dedicated design and innovation space, which would provide a learning and collaborative platform for students to participate in innovative design and engineering.
Need and Goal
Jared, after taking a tour of IDEO, a creative design and innovation consulting firm, personally felt that his engineering program lacked avenues to develop and express creativity. Feeling inspired to merge a highly technical academic environment with a peer led initiative to tap into his university's most creative individuals, he began looking for a physical space to do so.
Academic permission
With each university having its own rules for student club or organization creation, it is best to do preliminary research on the host university's website. Often, universities appreciate the value in peer-led organizations and will have easy to follow pathways for students with no experience to launch their ideas. Seach university websites for "New student organization," and continue to research the procedures established by that specific university.
In the creation of Karp's organization, he followed the advice above and found that, in order to have Berkeley's support in the pursuit of his vision, he would have to:
- Fill out a few forms
- Find three other dedicated individuals as signatories
- Gain the support of a faculty advisor
- Complete a few workshops
Karp accomplished these tasks by passionately communicating his idea for the student organization and the design space he wanted to facilitate.
Support
For Karp, support came from one quirky and progressive faculty advisor who connected with Jared's idea and an initial group of 9 of Karp's close friends. Karp started his organization by inviting people with whom he already had close relationships. He selected friends who demonstrated reliability and an inclination for the creativity that he wanted to unleash. He spred his organization through these initial 9 members, asking each one to bring one other person to share his idea with. Effectively, Karp doubled and and quadruppled the size of his student organization through this manner.
Cost
In Karp's experience, no startup funding was necessary to found the organization. In founding the organization through his university's channels, Karp was provided access to funding. His initial funding amount was $600.
Leadership
Karp began preparing to transition his organization to it's new leadership well before his expected graduation date. He is currently in his last year at Berkeley, and is confident that DEC will continue under eager and dedicated new leadership. Karp began fostering the new leadership of his organization by encouraging freshman students and mentoring them. He invited younger students who demonstrated an understanding of the organization and a lot of passion to become more involved and to take ownership of the organization. The student whom is most active in the organization and who is set to take over when Karp graduates isn't an engineer - she is passionate about the mission of the Desing Engineering Collaborative.
Launch
Karp insists on "go big" for launching a new student organization. He explains that the way to attract students is with big moves, professional website designs, and a strong leadership team. If an event flops, nothing is lost. If a big event is a success, congratulations.
Lessons learned and tips for others
Karp's advice was to, "never take your foot off the gas," and to embolden yourself to take the first steps. Expressing passion will get other people excited about helping and guiding good ideas.
