It may seem that a visiting artist, a closet full of career clothing and a cloud-based appointment scheduling system have nothing in common, but each are at the core of innovative programs happening at Stanislaus State because they received IDEAS grants.
IDEAS, or “Innovate, Design, Excel and Assess for Success,” is a campus program that accepts proposals annually from faculty and staff and awards seed money to implement and test the ones that promote the goals of the University’s Strategic Plan. Started in 2017, the program has gone through two rounds of funding and provided seed money for a total of 19 proposals that solve problems, address needs and improve students’ ability to succeed in college and beyond.
The IDEAS program itself is innovative, with its roots in Goal No. 3 of the five goals listed in the University Strategic Plan: “Boldly pursue innovation and creativity.” The committee that developed the Strategic Plan recognized the potential of innovation to make improvements at the University and recommended that employees be encouraged to unleash their creativity, said Vice President for Strategic Planning, Enrollment Management and Innovation Gitanjali Kaul.
“The recommendations of the strategic planning committee were taken seriously, and the implementation of this program is the result,” Kaul said. “This program would not have been possible without the stewardship of President Junn, who embraced its spirit and worked to allocate a budget to get it up and running.”
Programs that were awarded grants last spring and are now in development or being launched are:
- A diverse and consistent visiting artist program that will help students develop and embrace their individual voices in the contemporary art world.
- A project that examines the potential of virtual reality technology for improving students’ learning experiences.
- A faculty group that will explore sustainability teaching methods using the campus and community as a living lab for active learning.
- A career clothing program for students who are unable to purchase professional attire for job interviews or important presentations.
- An initiative to create a culture of sustainability by having all faculty and staff read a common book on the subject to increase awareness and understanding.
- Expansion of the Educational Opportunity Program’s peer mentor program to increase efficiency and focus resources on direct student services.
- A project to build a sense of community and belonging for Educational Opportunity Program students by offering them group activities and Stan State t-shirts.
- A cloud-based management system that will allow students seeking services at the Stockton Campus to save time by waiting in a virtual queue rather than standing in line.
- A second-year Yo Puedo Boot Camp to help young first-generation and migrant students in Merced County navigate the path to college and career readiness.
- A pilot study to understand how online students are connecting through social networks.
- The update of tour materials, equipment and gear to enhance visitors’ first impression and promote campus pride.
For more information, including how to apply for the next round of IDEAS grants, visit the program website.