TAMIU Joins #MillionsofChangemakers Campaign, Forms University Taskforce
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) has joined alongside 26 leading academic institutions to cultivate a changemaking mindset across college campuses.
Through the #MillionsofChangemakers campaign launched by Ashoka U, TAMIU has committed to integrating changemaker learning outcomes into 50 percent of the University’s Trailblazer Co-Curricular Program. The eventual goal is to have at least 50 students participate and lead a changemaking project by the end of 2020.
To meet the commitment to changemaking, a taskforce has been charged with helping incorporate the new learning outcomes within TAMIU Trailblazers.
Members of the TAMIU committee include Jackelyne Briseño, Ivan Cano, Jody Carlisle, Nayeli Lopez Diaz, Dr. Stephen Duffy, Vanessa García, Mayra Hernández, Dr. Kevin Lindberg, Ericka Navarro, Cihtlalli Perez, Julio Reyes Jr., Mariana Rodríguez, Christine Rojas, Dr. Marcela Uribe, Cassandra Wheeler, and Dr. Marcus Ynalvez.
Since 2008, Ashoka U has worked with over 500 colleges and universities to help foster changemaking. Ashoka U is a division of Ashoka, a worldwide non-profit organization that works to create social entrepreneurs – or individuals seeking to improve their community by finding creative solutions to difficult problems.
Ashoka U works alongside these higher education institutions to transform campuses into environments that encourage, support and reward changemakers.
Other universities that have also made commitments to incorporating changemaking on their campuses include the University of San Diego, Carnegie Mellon University – Integrated Innovation Institute, the University of Houston – SURE Program, La Universidad de Monterrey, and more.
Changemaking, as defined by Ashoka U, works with individuals by, “…taking creative action to solve a social problem...changemaking involves empathy, thoughtfulness, creativity, taking action, and collaborative leadership.”
Established in 2012, TAMIU Trailblazers is a co-curricular leadership experience that encourages student involvement on campus. Students can complete engagement opportunities, such as attending conferences, workshops and fulfilling leadership roles in University organizations.
Engagement opportunities are broken into five different learning dimensions that include, Career Development, Civic Leadership, Global Perspectives, Health and Wellness, and Personal Enrichment. Each dimension is then portioned into three stages.
At each stage, students complete several engagement opportunities. After completing the required engagement opportunities, the learning dimension is complete and students earn a patch to add to their graduation stole.
Since its inception, 485 TAMIU students have completed at least one stage and 122 students have completed all the learning dimensions.
Jazmin Gibeaut, TAMIU student leadership and engagement coordinator for the Office of Student Orientation, Leadership and Engagement, stresses the importance of fulfilling this initiative.
“By committing to this campaign, we are working to ensure that every student has the opportunity and skill to be a changemaker. This means in addition to program offerings, students will have the opportunity to create their changemaking project,” explained Gibeaut.
She continued, “Sometimes we put leadership on a pedestal as if only some are worthy enough to call themselves one. That is why we need to cultivate an 'everyone is a changemaker' mindset.”
Through the work of the taskforce, Gibeaut hopes to foster a student leadership mindset that works to create positive change on campus and beyond. The initiative also helps mark another achievement during the University’s milestone 2019-2020 50th Anniversary Celebration.
“In an ‘everyone is a changemaker’ world, all people have the confidence, skills, and freedom to create change for the good of all. The world is both more resilient and more inclusive because each person, regardless of age or background, plays a role in shaping the future,” she said.
“Our commitment was intentionally designed with the University’s 50th Anniversary Celebration in mind. We are excited to use the #MillionsofChangemakers campaign as an opportunity to reimagine how we Go Beyond,” she concluded.
For more information, contact Gibeaut at 956.326.2281, email jazmina.gibeaut@tamiu.edu, or visit offices in the Student Center, room 224-B.
More of the University’s story, including a dedicated celebration website about its 50thAnniversary, is at tamiu.edu, or on social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.