Student Think Tank Competition
With the support and sponsorship of The New York Times, Southern Consortium of the American Democracy Project (ADP-South) is excited to announce the second Student Think Tank Competition, an event that will take place at the forthcoming ADP-South meeting November 7-8 on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University. At this conference we will put a justifiably Millenial-spin on the think Tank by casting it as a multimedia PSA competition
What will students gain from participating in the think tank?
Students will have the opportunity to collaborate with peers from other ADP-South campuses on a subject that could potentially address a need in their own respective campus communities.
How will this think tank work?
Each campus wanting to participate will nominate a team of two students. Each team will then be paired with teams from one other institution to form a think tank group. This group will collaborate on creating a five-minute PSA that addresses an issue central to the role of the Millenials in the political process.
How much time will think tank members have to work together?
As we want students to have the opportunity to attend the myriad of traditional conference presentations, the think tank process will begin on Friday morning, giving the students ample time to both work together and to attend regularly scheduled sessions.
Will the think tank groups be able to create viable projects in such a short time?
Students can accomplish great things when given limited resources and high expectations. Previous Think Tank groups at both the regional and national levels have enjoyed success in creating viable programs and solutions in a short timeframe.
How will a winner be chosen?
A panel of judges, including at least one New York Times representative, will choose a winning group based on the effectiveness, coherence, and originality of the presentation.
Will the winning group receive a prize?
The New York Times has agreed to provide the members of the winning group with funds that would help to pay a significant portion of the travel costs and/or registration fee for the National ADP meeting, which will be held in Baltimore in June 2009.
What type of students should our school send?
Major or career path matters less than a student's commitment to improving his/her community and how Millenials function in this community. Participating students will need to commit to taking part in all aspects of the process. Campus leaders with junior standing are just as welcome as freshmen with leadership potential.
Why should we send students to take part in this venture?
Not only will participating students have the opportunity to collaborate with peers from other institutions while sharpening communication and other interpersonal skills, they will also have the opportunity to experience forming a grass roots community dedicated to fostering change. It is our hope that Think Tank participants will not stop after creating their respective PSAs, but rather will continue to build coalitions dedicated to bringing about change in their community on campus, at home, in campus organizations, and in future professional endeavors.
This sounds great! How can I sign up a team from my campus?
Please e-mail Ron Kates at rkates@mtsu.edu. He will also be happy to answer any questions you might have pertaining to the think tank, its format, or other such issues. We will be limiting this competition to twelve (12) two person teams, preferably representing different institutions.