When it's summer, academics often forget the value of planning for the upcoming semester. Perhaps you stumbled upon this post, looking for tips on engaging students and past successes. Are you checking out how Interledger can work with you? Maybe you are looking for funding to support student success. Anyway - I'm glad you are here :). I want to share some of the insider tips.
My goal for the post is to help academics submit their applications for the NextGen Higher Education Grant (https://interledger.org/education). I want to offer some forward-thinking initiatives that have worked at Bowie State University to engage students on digital financial literacy, inclusion, and open payment systems. Although these are not copy and paste, you'll have a starter kit and a partner (--> this guy <--) for collaborations!
1) PIZZA and Interledger - It's a simple and tested method to bring students and Interledger together. You are breaking bread (well crust) with students exploring the challenges of the un and underbanked communities over a slice of cheezy goodness. The event can align with a course, meeting, or event. Some workshops that have done wonders were related to Rafiki wallet creation, Interledger introduction, and Digitial Financial Inclusion. Short but engaging 60 to 90-minute events that are inclusive to all students, majors, class students, and community.
2) Course Modules - Interledger's mission of open payments, open-source, sustainable development, and multi-disciplinary fintech space needs a breadth of participants. Are you not in the tech domain - great! Are you in the tech domain - great! You are welcome and we want to encourage students to participate in shaping the future of digital finance. Modules can be a single class or span multiple weeks. Set an outcome and develop the materials to help students achieve the goal. The Interledger community has resources to support the module development - check out others who have helped with content monetization, creating supporting narratives through art and podcasts, and those who are taking others directly to those adversely affected by non-inclusive technology and banking.
3) Guest Speakers - Bring fintech experts to your campus, virtually or in person. Find someone to share their experiences and insights with students, clubs, faculty, and administrators. Want someone building digital wallets? Is someone working with banking clearing houses? Is someone shaping policy? Someone working with an underserved community? Someone working with community development? Is someone actively developing software? A FinTech entrepreneur? I know a person, and they are in the Interledger community.
4) Mini-hackathons - This might still be one (PIZZA) :) Hackathons can be daunting, but what about a four-hour intentional focus on a particular challenge in Fintech? Consider connecting the unbanked careers in open payments, perhaps cross-border payments, or micropayments. Use the time to create buzz and excitement. These activities empower and recognize students to foster innovation and creativity in the space. This is where great ideas are born.
5) Microinternships - Connect students with the Interledger community directly. Students often struggle to fit into an open-source community. Pair your students with an Interledger community member. Partner with Bowie State University, and we can bridge multiple campuses. We have report formats, prompts, and a supporting structure to help students find their own.
6) Scholars / Microscholars - Students can work independently, tackling challenges such as advancing the Interledger protocol, sustainable development, and career opportunities. Students can explore research, too. The scholars are aligned with the Interledger mission and focused on moving the community forward.
8) Collaborations - Hack on Rails - I skipped seven. Did you catch it :) After a successful collaboration with Fayetteville State University, Bowie State University wants to connect with more institutions on a collaborative challenge. Hint: check above. With the support of Amtrak, we want to continue to connect with other institutions through experiential learning on digital financial inclusion. What's better than one school's efforts - two! Craft a collaboration with another campus - locally, nationally, or globally.
9) Advising for Pitch Competitions - Mentor students in their entrepreneurial ventures in developing value propositions for the un/underbanked and the un/underconnected. Strive to get students to be grant recipients and creators. Student mentorship and guidance can go a long way by extending the classroom and building lifelong friendships.
10) Career Pathways - Another way to help students see their fit in Fintech is sharing career pathways with students - internships, externships, collaborative projects, and jobs. Showcase the benefits of studying and contributing to advancing inclusive digital financial systems through talent pipelines.
Now, that was a lot, and there's more! Did you think I'd share everything :D. Let's connect on Interledger's Slack!
Check the comments below, as I expect others are going to help you too - supporting others is the Interledger way :)
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