What's needed for a successful partnership? In the months before a semester starts, the Honors College meets with partners to gather the information needed and to plan for the semester.
By the time the semester begins, the Honors College will have a challenge statement that specifies what they want from the students and their priorities for the project.
What information is needed before the semester begins?
- Name. What is the name of your organization, institution, or department?
- Points of contact. Who are the two individuals who will serve as points of contact for the semester and what are their email addresses?
- Challenge. What is the challenge you want a student team to address and what is the expected scope of their project? What are the top three priorities you would like the student team to address?
- Deliverables. What are the expected deliverable(s)? e.g., summary of research plus a 2-page strategy document.
- Resources. What resources (if any) do you have at your fingertips and that you want the student team to look at? They will be conducting their own research, but if there are readings/videos/resources you know will be valuable, please do share them. This might be pointing them to specific websites (yours or others), reports, thought-leaders, databases, etc.
- Potential Interviewees. Who are some potential interviewees for the students from whom they may gain valuable insight into your organization and/or the topic area? You can decide whether and/or how to provide introductions later, so names and titles are fine. Titles need not be precisely given and could just say, "Subject Matter Expert."
What does your organization need to do during the semester?
- Meetings. Expect to meet with students four times: once to kick-off the challenge, two check-ins with the students as they develop the project, and once at the conclusion of the project during which students will present their final deliverables. All partners are also invited to attend our Winter or Spring Exhibition, where the students will present a research poster about the project they've conducted for your organization. The Honors College can provide you the dates and times of the meetings and the Exhibition.
- Points of contact. Makes sure that your organization has two people who can serve as points of contact for the students throughout the semester.