Higher education is so much more than an academic adventure, it provides an energised backdrop for a meeting of minds and an opportunity for lifelong friendships to form.
Recognising the importance of helping to bring students together, with the knowledge icebreakers are always helpful, Tony Greenwood, the Employment and Apprenticeship Coordinator for Ara Institute, sought a grant for a Wicked Wednesday Student Engagement Project. The project is an initiative to better connect students through a series of inspiring activities.
“The project lent itself to being a student orientation exercise and an opportunity to make connections.”
“During our Wednesday sessions, we covered everything from CV writing and employability, to cooking on a budget, hygiene, and drivers’ licencing. We held sausage sizzles and launched an amazing race with prizes. The project lent itself to being a student orientation exercise and an opportunity to make connections.”
The inaugural Wicked Wednesday launched in 2017 with some activities rolling over to 2018. “From ping pong events to basketball, you name it, we’ve done it. The grant has certainly been a huge help. We allocated some of our budget to match the grant’s so we’ve had $10,000 to spend. This year we’re tweaking some of what we did last year to help the project continue to succeed.”
Ara Foundation provided the Wicked Wednesday Student Engagement Project with $5,000 to launch its initiatives.