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Nobody Can Tell Your Story Like You!

Providing the depth and detail needed to truly highlight the complex nature of the personal and professional achievement of UM-Flint students, faculty, staff, alumni, and others is the chief aim of Pillars. However, we also intend it to be a platform where individuals can tell their own story, in their own words—or their own pictures, poetry, videos, all of the above.

We want Pillars to reflect and provoke the rich discussion and meaningful action that are at the heart of life and learning at UM-Flint. So send us your brainstorms of stories to tell, people to profile, ideas to champion, and actions to take. We also want your words (research results, short fiction, travel diaries, poetry, essays, etc.), photography, videography, artwork, doodles, and surprises!

There are no guidelines as far as word count, subject matter, or style. If it doesn't seem like a natural fit for the webzine format, send it anyway. Maybe we'll invent an all-new genre (e-needlepoint, anyone?)! If it is interesting, engaging, and indicative of the best this campus has to offer, we want to see it.

For additional ideas and inspiration, please review the following major themes Pillars will aspire to feature:

Innovation:

How are UM-Flint faculty incorporating new technologies and techniques into curriculum? Last year’s experiment by music professors Chris Heidenreich and Brian DiBlassio with the use of Twitter to engage audience members during a live jazz ensemble performance is a good example.

Are faculty members or students involved in the research or development of new products, services, or techniques? The UM-Flint smart phone application being developed by School of Management marketing professor Sy Banerjee and his students is another example. Innovations often arise from the joining of seemingly dissimilar entities or ideas. Cross-disciplinary projects, such as Glen-wood: Restoration of Spirit between the history and theatre departments, are excellent opportunities for professors and students to learn from each other as they create something brand new.

Excellence in Teaching:

This is a recurring theme for UM-Flint. Whenever we interview students about their UM-Flint experience, there is always a professor who is at the heart of their story.

Certainly there is overlap between embracing innovation and excellence in teaching. Yet beyond cutting-edge techniques and programmatic risk-taking, at its core "excellence in teaching" is still about the meaningful, human impact individual professors make on the lives of individual students. Honors students will inevitably refer to Professor Maureen Thum as their educator, mentor, and cheerleader. Nursing students who travel with Professor Maureen Tippen recall their adventures in both the classroom and the field as life-changing. Pillars will make showcasing these kinds of connections a top priority.

Civic Engagement:

It is more than something “nice to do.” It is more than something anyone worthy of the label "good neighbor" must do. It is even more than a catalyst for service and experiential learning, providing the immersive, collaborative, results-driven, and practical experience employers want.

Civic engagement is at the very foundation of the UM-Flint experience. It is one of the most recognized, respected, and appealing aspects of UM-Flint’s overall identity and reputation—especially among prospective students.

Research:

The University of Michigan-Flint is a research university—both in the traditional sense and a less conventional one. Yes, our faculty members and graduate-level students are engaged in important, rigorous research in almost every area of study on this campus.

However, what sets UM-Flint apart from other research institutions is the emphasis we place on providing undergraduate students real opportunities to conduct real research early in their college careers. The knowledge, skills, and confidence they gain give them a leg up when they enter medical school, graduate school, or the workforce.

Global Citizens:

Success in a globalized world requires deeper understanding and broader perspectives about the world we live in today. To that end, UM-Flint is simultaneously growing international student enrollment and increasing the level of international engagement by U.S. students.

Over the last five years, international student enrollment has increased over 200%, with students hailing from over 37 different countries. Each year, UM-Flint offers experiential education trips from across the academic spectrum where students are immersed in new cultures and exposed to new points of view. Consider the new Wyatt Exploration Program, which literally transports UM-Flint students and faculty to a place in time. The Global Tech Graduate Program is another fine example, helping a new generation of teachers use technology and global experiences as tools for learning. Every UM-Flint student benefits from the unique cultural and global perspectives these students are able to share.

Flint’s College Town Transition:

Flint transforming into a “college town” is an exciting idea. It is a perception-changer and a unifying, aspirational goal for the campus and city alike. However, there is an important debate to be had about what kind of college town Flint can or should become.

Should we simply mimic the look and feel of other well-known college towns? Is there more to a college town than the types of businesses located therein? Are intangibles, such as a greater willingness to act on bold ideas, the real benefit of “college town-ness?” Can Flint reimagine the very notion of what a college town is? Pillars will look to explore these ideas and profile the people and projects that embrace this spirit of civic innovation.