This honors course will investigate the emerging field of Humanitarian Design. Students will combine research into humanitarianism, social responsibility and the principles of design thinking into the development of a project that will benefit a non-profit organization doing work in impoverished communities in rural Tanzania. In spring 2011 we will explore how the fields such as engineering, nursing, medicine, education, business, liberal arts, design and more are all critical in the development of effective and inspiring humanitarian design projects. Together, we will explore the social, cultural and technological issues inherent in the field of humanitarian design and work collaboratively to create and implement projects that will have a positive impact on communities in need.

This seminar will culminate in a required study tour to Tanzania with Village Life Outreach, immediately following spring quarter. Learn more.

Designed for male and female students in all majors.  This course employs fiction, films, essays, speakers and experiential learning to examine the crisis of bettered youth and organizational attempts at intervention. 

Included in the course is a required weekend service trip to an Eastern Kentucky non-profit residential facility for abused young people ages ten to eighteen. Trip dates are May 20-22, 2011.

There will likely be a course fee to cover expenses for the service trip; this fee is expected to be $25-50 per student. Students will drive to the site in Kentucky (driving individually or in carpools). Students will pay for their own food.

Updated Description
Gateway course for students interested in pursuing the community engagement thematic area within University Honors. Specially designed for first and second year students, but open to all.

Coursework and experiential learning activities provide students with a forum to explore their place within our campus and city communities. UC’s urban environment provides many advantages and confronts us with many challenges as we seek to enhance community.

Class sessions will be held at various locations on and around campus. Locations are subject o change but may include field experience in Corryville, an overview of UC’s history in Blegen Library or as a part of a Queen City Underground Tour, Drop Inn Center, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Gay & Lesbian Community Center, and/or the Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Student reactions to last year’s course:
“I really enjoyed the experiential component. I've never taken a class where we go out in to the ‘real world’ so many times to actually apply what we've been learning. It kept the class interesting and helped reinforce what we were learning.”

“It was definitely a challenge and very eye-opening. I am not native to Cincinnati, and I felt that it was a good introduction to the area and gave me an idea of what I could do to contribute during my years here.”

“I was introduced to many different aspects of Cincinnati and met a lot of very open, interesting, and inspiring people. Through the off-campus experiences I was encouraged to step out of my comfort zone, really embrace the community, and learn more about the area. I think the course thought questions and reflections allowed me to look at a large picture, find my place or part in it, and communicate those thoughts and feelings.”

This course is a hands-on experience in the domain of creativity. In a combination of lecture/discussions and a hands-on group project, the class will harness its collective creative potential and work towards a finished product in the form of a quarter-end performance/presentation. It is often in the world of art and performance that there are no self-imposed borders. Innovation thrives in such a borderless paradigm. This is a paradigm that can easily be extended to other disciplines such as engineering, business, public policy and art administration.

Through the process of identifying and distinguishing certain key distinctions and working as a group in creating a presentation that has an impact on the University, honors students will carry the lessons learned from this course into other walks of their career.

*Rehearsal for the performance will take place during the week leading up to the performance. Time and day TBA.
*Students must also be available for the end-of-quarter performance. Time and date TBA. Participation required.

**There will be a required course fee payable at the beginning of the quarter. This will cover supplies and other expenses related to the performance. The amount is expected to be $15-20; final amount TBD.

Live Well Collaborative studios are open to juniors and seniors of all majors with an interest in creating product and service innovations for the 50+ age segment. Students work with faculty and corporations to conduct research and develop ideas within an interdisciplinary environment encompassing design, engineering, business, medicine, anthropology and social science. Projects have already been completed for P&G, General Mills, Hill-Rom and Citigroup. 

The sponsor for the Spring Quarter project is TBD.

Class sessions are not a standard classroom lecture format, but rather a time for company presentations, group work, and faculty/student collaboration. Work will also be completed outside of the class. Students will not have tests or individual assignments but will be graded on contributions made on the final project deliverables to the company sponsor. 

Students can register for 3-4 hours of credit (depending on what fits into a student's schedule). For students who entered the honors program before Autumn 2007: The number of special topics hours awarded is determined by the number of academic credits earned. For students who entered the honors program in or after Autumn 2007: Completing one quarter of Live Well Collaborative fulfills one honors experience.

Studios take place in the lower level of the Turner Innovation Center, which is near campus on the corner of Daniels and Vine.

Interested College of Business students should email a resume to Dr. Karen Machleit; all other students (DAAP, Engineering, Arts & Sciences, etc.) should contact Craig Vogel for more information.

Read more about the Live Well Collaborative on DAAP's website or Live Well Collaborative's website.