CAMPUS SPOTLIGHT
Georgia Tech's
George W. Woodruff School
of Engineering
Georgia Tech's George W. Woodruff School of Engineering has launched a transformative initiative focused on driving student success through inclusive excellence.
![ME_Woodruff_School_White ME_Woodruff_School_White](https://www.readyeducation.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ME_Woodruff_School_White.png?width=1200&height=197&name=ME_Woodruff_School_White.png)
1,100+ Events created
Created Events
1,100 Events created, with 6,050 users checking into an event at least once in the first 10 months.
1,130+ Students
Communicating
Using The App
1,130 Students have used the chat feature to connect with someone in the first 10 months.
Georgia Tech's George W. Woodruff School of Engineering has launched a transformative initiative focused on driving student success through inclusive excellence.
Dr. Jonathan E. Gaines, the inaugural Associate Chair for Inclusive Excellence, is leading this effort.
Since assuming this role in August 2023, Dr. Gaines has been dedicated to enhancing the Woodruff School’s inclusive excellence initiatives. Leveraging asset-based methodologies, leadership cultivation, and inclusive excellence best practices, Dr. Gaines collaborates closely with faculty, staff, students, and alumni to prioritize inclusion and empowerment as student success outcomes.
This initiative aligns with the Woodruff School’s 2023- 2030 strategic plan vision to serve as a “student-centered, research-focused, and service-oriented community recognized for its outstanding education, the development of leaders, and the creation of innovative technological solutions that improve society and the human condition."
Technology’s role in Driving Inclusive Excellence and Student Success
![Download Download](https://www.readyeducation.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Download.jpg?width=2000&height=1497&name=Download.jpg)
Upon arriving at Woodruff, Dr. Gaines swiftly implemented Ready Education’s CampusGroups platform to enhance the co-curricular experience for students.
Introduced to CampusGroups during his tenure at the University of South Florida and later at the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC), Dr. Gaines recognized its effectiveness in fostering community and incentivizing engagement. Leveraging these experiences, he spearheaded its integration at Woodruff in collaboration with Louis Cameron, Implementation and Training Specialist at Ready Education.
Dr. Gaines plans to launch the CampusGroups platform to Woodruff’s 1,800 students in August 2024, with a strategic campaign to engage the entire academic community. Branded as “Woodruff Connect,” it will serve as the backbone of the schools’ Inclusive Excellence initiative, propelling student success through four key drivers:
- The 5 I's Framework
- Scaffolded Achievement Levels
- Incentivizing Co-Curricular Engagement
- Encouraging Mentoring
1. The 5 I's Framework
The Woodruff School’s approach to inclusive excellence acknowledges that experiences outside formal academics are vital for student success.
“I have defined Inclusive Excellence through the 5Is,” said Dr. Gaines. “The 5Is are the values that people affiliated with Woodruff must possess,” he added.
![Inclusive Excellence Inclusive Excellence](https://www.readyeducation.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Inclusive%20Excellence.jpg?width=2000&height=1497&name=Inclusive%20Excellence.jpg)
![Campus_1 Campus_1](https://www.readyeducation.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Campus_1.jpg?width=500&height=325&name=Campus_1.jpg)
These are:
1 . Intentionality
Centered around professional and personal well-being.
2 . Impact
Focused on leadership and community service.
3 . Innovation
Encouraging engineering design and creativity.
4 . Interaction
Fostering networking and communication.
5 . Insight
Promoting analysis, advocacy, and action.
Integrated into the "Woodruff Connect" platform, it offers students diverse co-curricular experiences aligned with their professional and personal growth.
Implemented through the Tracks and Checklists feature, this framework forms the foundation for 10 distinct tracks, providing students with a comprehensive co-curricular journey.
In addition to building tracks around each of the 5Is, 5 different pathways guide students through various stages of their student journey.
These are:
- Getting Started
Establishing a baseline for students and enabling them to chart personal and professional aspirations.
- Professional Development
Linked to post-graduation careers and success.
- People Leadership
Expanding students’ foundational skills into managerial and leadership roles beyond academia.
- Kudos
Centered around recognition, encouraging community interaction and gratitude within the community.
- Connect
Facilitating mentorship connections with alumni and industry professionals through networking tools.
2. SCAFFOLDED ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS
Another key driver is applying scaffolded achievement levels, from Navy to Gold, guiding students through their co-curricular journey.
Each of the four levels unlocks new tracks and opportunities, motivating students to explore and excel across various domains.
The progression through the levels is scaffolded, with students advancing to the next tier as they earn a specific number of points.
Each track is allotted 10 points so that the Woodruff School can gauge students' overall co-curricular experience on a scale of 1 to 100 by the time students graduate. This structured approach prevents information overload and mirrors the student journey from orientation through to graduation, allowing each level to build upon the previous.
![Navy Gains Navy Gains](https://www.readyeducation.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Navy%20Gains.jpg?width=2000&height=961&name=Navy%20Gains.jpg)
For example, at the Navy level, users start with access to two tracks: Start and Kudos. After reaching 10 points, they unlock the Bronze level, granting access to the Impact, Intentionality, and Interaction tracks. The Silver level opens up at 35 points, offering the Insight, Innovation, and Connection tracks.
Users achieve Gold status at 70 points, gaining access to all ten tracks, including People Leadership and Professional Development. A Platinum level will be introduced for top achievers earning over 90 points, unlocking exclusive incentives via CampusGroups.
3. INCENTIVIZING CO-CURRICULAR ENGAGEMENT
Incentivization is crucial for motivating student participation in co-curricular activities. This is where CampusGroups’ point system and gamification tools come in. Each time a student completes a checklist item they gain a point, which is reflected on their scoreboard. A leaderboard is also available, enabling students to gauge their co-curricular experience and compare it with peers.
“The platform's point system and leaderboard enable us to generate meaningful outcomes around co-curricular engagement,” Dr. Gaines said. “It also helps us normalize and promote co-curricular involvement in a holistic way,” he added.
![user leaderboard user leaderboard](https://www.readyeducation.com/hubfs/user%20leaderboard.jpg)
Ultimately, what motivates students is getting that dream job. Therefore, the focus is also on aligning the co-curricular experience with what employers want. The ability to capture this experience effectively through achievement badges and a co-curricular transcript that students can use for internship or employment opportunities is a significant incentive. While Woodruff Connect is being launched, there will also be incentives to encourage student participation through a communication challenge in the CampusGroups platform.
“Aligning co-curricular experiences with desired outcomes in the workforce, emphasizes the importance of showcasing achievements, gaining valuable skills, and accessing exclusive opportunities,” said Dr. Gaines.
4. ENCOURAGING MENTORING
CampusGroups has also facilitated Woodruff’s mentoring initiative. Students unlock the ability to connect directly with alumni and industry professionals through the system's connections programs after reaching Silver status, again encouraging students to engage with the platform in a variety of ways. Accessing this influential mentorship network serves as a powerful motivator. Beyond personal growth, it significantly boosts students' career prospects.
![Campus_3 Campus_3](https://www.readyeducation.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Campus_3.jpg?width=500&height=325&name=Campus_3.jpg)
![Encoraging Encoraging](https://www.readyeducation.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Encoraging.jpg?width=2000&height=1497&name=Encoraging.jpg)
By integrating inclusive excellence principles into every aspect of student life, Dr. Gaines and his team are transforming the educational experience.
Building on the institution's technical excellence, the team is focused on enhancing its leadership and service dimensions in using the innovative capabilities of CampusGroups - all to create a brighter future for engineering students at Georgia Tech.
![Campus_2 Campus_2](https://www.readyeducation.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Campus_2.jpg?width=500&height=325&name=Campus_2.jpg)
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