Journal Update #10 - 10/31/19
Perhaps one of the most critical events for the EveryOredigger working groups was the campus forum on the morning of October 29th. This was to be an event open to the public where designated speakers from each of the EveryOredigger committees would present of current work, past planning, and future aspirations. Professor Roel Snieder was the assigned spokesperson for the campus culture-change sub-group. He would condense the goals and outlines formulated in last week's meeting to share it with others. As the forum was open to all students, faculty, and staff, I was one of the only two students present; the other being my friend Gina from Active Minds @ Mines. Nonetheless, the turnout appeared adequate, and there were many unfamiliar faces present--which was beneficial to me for meeting new people. I was forced to sit in the very center of the front row so I could film the entirety of the presentation; I was given permission by Rebecca to do this. As the presentation went on, I was constantly monitoring my make-shift GoPro-tripod setup standing on a chair. The forum continued as I saw the administration from the chairs group talk about their corresponding groups that they lead. It was amazing to see the amount of preparation, consideration, and effort that has gone into the launch of the EveryOredigger program. In particular, I was inspired by the Colin Terry's presentation on the policy and evaluation that usually goes unseen by the mass public (even me). Roel Snieder's discussion on campus-culture was also specifically helpful to me because of my late participation in his sub-commitee--this presentation resembled a "catch-up information" session that familiarized me with the groundwork development of my group.Despite the highlights of the morning, it was near the end of the campus forum that I noticed a blinking red symbol on the screen of my GoPro. To my dismay, it read: "SD Card Full." I intended to film the entirety of the gathering, but my lack of caution led to only a 50 minute clip of the first 4 presenters. Becca shared the presentation with all of the EveryOredigger members, so hopefully this could supplement my collected video and audio media: https://static.wixstatic.com/ugd/732a53_7b7e161929d4425fafaed2f0536a3915.pptx
The remainder of the week dealt with logistics and working on the first stages of my final deliverable. This consisted of taking a trip to Home Depot and dedicating 30 minutes to choosing the right wood finish for the art piece. I had to contact my friend in the Brown laser engraving room to ensure that I had appropriate sizing and dimensions, and the workers of Home Depot were more than happy to help once I told them my vision for the wooden panels. I came back to campus on the night of Halloween with eleven large maple planks.
Earlier on Monday October 28th, I received a response on my opportunity to go to the 2019 NASPA General Assembly in Baltimore on November 21st. NASPA was the overarching organization of peer educators nationwide, and it focuses on inspiring collaboration relating to promoting strategies in health, safety, and student leadership. I plan to talk about this opportunity in more detail in future posts, but I am definitely intend on using this trip as a way to gather more information from a broader audience relating to best practices for students. Furthermore, I hope to receive some advice and feedback from other peer educators and professionals regarding my final deliverable project.