Opportunity Watch: Connecting UBC Graduates to Global Citizenship Opportunities

TitleOpportunity Watch: Connecting UBC Graduates to Global Citizenship Opportunities
Faculty/College/UnitVP Students
StatusCompleted
Duration1 Year
Initiation04/01/2006
Completion03/31/2007
Project Summary

Objective: To create a centralized, interactive resource for senior students that enhances awareness and provides opportunities that will support their development as UBC students to "exceptional global citizens" (quote: UBC's vision). This project seeks to extend student learning into informed and action-oriented planning for graduating students that will advance UBC's ability to ensure UBC students embrace and realize the vision of global citizenship.

Rationale: Trek 2010 articulates an institutional vision of educating exceptional global citizens, of instilling in our students, the skills and knowledge essential to take the world stage - locally or globally - to truly transform our society. Translating this aspiration to reality is the cornerstone of this proposal.

Currently, our senior students are seeking access to career-building experiential teaming opportunities, grants, internships, international opportunities, and other experiences to enhance their formal curricular undergraduate education and provide a springboard as they transition out of their undergraduate life. UBC can provide support to shape the opportunities available for students to become global citizens. Graduating students and recent graduates have acquired disciplinary knowledge and leadership skills to create a strong foundation for their future. UBC needs to make a further investment to support their transition into career, community and lifelong learning opportunities that will deliver considerable learning outcomes and broaden opportunities for our graduates as they move to take on leadership roles in society.

As an outstanding, international university, many agencies, universities, organizations, and foundations invite our students to apply for or participate in a variety of programs and opportunities. These opportunities remain relatively "unknown" to students. These are communicated to individual faculty members, specific program or administrative offices, and faculties - and there are no systematic avenues to share information with students broadly. The result is missed opportunity for students. Students are left to their own devices to identify and secure these teaming opportunities that, if thoughtfully integrated, would considerably contribute to an outstanding undergraduate education.

Methods: Through a partnership including Faculties, the AMS, Student Development, Career Services, Go Global and UBC Alumni Affairs, we will create a multi-disciplinary, interactive, web-based learning resource to invite and support senior undergraduate students and recent graduates to leverage their disciplinary education to create a unique and deliberate path to global citizenship.

Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2006/2007
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorChad Hyson
Year 1: Funded Amount41,241
Year 1: Team Members

Chad Hyson, Student Development, Office of the Vice-President, Students
Gavin Dew, Alma Mater Society
Allison Dunnet, Student Development, Office of the Vice-President, Students
Katherine Beaumont, Go Global
Una Walsh, Career Services
James Kim, Communication Services
John Cooper, Faculty of Arts
Michelle Aucoin, Alumni Affairs