Every Friday, we’ll be highlighting some helpful information specifically for first-year students. Today we look at a couple examples of students who didn’t want to wait around to gain experience. You can view all the previous Freshman Friday posts here.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending TEDxUofM, an event inspired by the famous TED conference which is devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading.” 19 speakers made up of University faculty, alumni, and current students focused on transforming the way we think about topics like education, public health, and societal paradigms. All the presentations were fantastic, but I found the ones by current students to be particularly inspiring. I often encounter students who have a strong desire and passion for a particular field, and all they want is an internship or job that will allow them to gain the ever-elusive “experience.” The reason the TED student presenters stood out to me is that they are all examples of students who decided that they didn’t need some sort of official position to gain experience — that they could take a their passion and an idea and work to make it happen:
Filmic Productions
The members of Filmic Productions met in an Intro to Film Production class, and soon after began to work beyond the boundaries of the classroom, entering film competitions and completing work for an ever more prestigious list of clients. You may have seen their work “Stay in the Blue: The Man” featured on the big screen at The Big House:
Stay in the Blue: “The Man” from Filmic Productions on Vimeo.
Detroit Treads
Detroit Treads is a social venture created by students from the Integrated Product Development course at the Tauber Institute, and members of their team spoke about the importance of bridging the gap between academics and the “real world.” Treads is a product of that way of thinking, a venture with the aim to “create a unique, stylish and sustainable sandal that affords wearers’ a comfortable way to express their Detroit pride, while empowering Cass Community Social Services (CCSS) workers to gain vital skills and work experience.”
You can view the full list of presenters at the TEDxUofM website. Hopefully they inspire you to get out there and start exploring your passions too!
