Offered in the Fall semester, the Ideas Congress class allows students enrolled in a First Year Seminar or a 3rd or 4th-year independent studies course to earn credit toward their major by participating in a transdisciplinary project-based class.
This class offers the chance to develop a real-life project that addresses a sustainability challenge you care about. Instructors mentor you to work on a solution to a local problem, and the class is designed to develop your confidence as a changemaker. You acquire skills that help you in the working-world: you learn to work with peers from an array of backgrounds and disciplines, problem-solve, collaborate diplomatically, and think critically about problems and solutions.
The fall semester is structured as follows:
- September
- Learning to work in groups
- Ideation and concept-testing; communication training
- October
- Mentorship to develop & advance project ideas
- Mid-term presentations on progress
- November
- Project development–through community engagement, independent research, and teamwork
- Mentorship and testing
- Prep for external competitions/opportunities
- December
- Final presentations & reports
ICON 