Levels of Achievement

To Reach this Level:

• Complete the DI Fellows Program application process and be selected for the program.

Unlocked at this Level: 

• Level 1 Fellows are added to the DI Fellows Program Canvas and Teams environments.
• Level 1 Fellows are assigned a DI Fellow Peer Mentor to support them with their quest.

To Level Up:

To Reach this Level:

• Complete Level 1 and serve as an active DI Fellow for a minimum of one semester.

Unlocked at this Level: 

• Level 2 Fellows are formally recognized and ‘pinned’ as a "DI Fellow."
• Level 2 Fellows are added to the Design Innovation Initiative’s online directory. 
• Level 2 Fellows can serve on DI Taskforce Teams with faculty/staff DI Team members.  
• Level 2 Fellows are granted key card access to the DI Fellows Suite in the DI HUB which they may use as a space to meet, study, hang out and/or plan DI challenge-based innovation projects.  
• Level 2 Fellows can apply for funding of up to $500/project to support the development of collaborative challenge-based innovation projects.

To Level Up: 

• Attend all bi-monthly required DI Fellows Program meetings.
• Attend the mandatory start-of-year DI Fellows Launch Meeting (Fall semester).
• Attend the mandatory end-of-year DI Fellows Celebration (Spring semester). 
• Volunteer at least 15 hours per semester in support of DI projects, activities, or programs. 
• Complete DI experiences and post Canvas reflections on how you have addressed the following DI Toolkit Elements:
  • Gaining Deep Insight into Problems
  • Play and the Creative Process
  • The Power of Making
  • Supercharging Your Brainstorming
• Help to initiate at least one new challenge-based innovation (CBI) project or learning opportunity with other students in the DI Fellows Program that bring awareness to the program and help other students in the program gain experience with the DI Toolkit Elements.

Upon completion of this level, students will be able to:

• Reference their previous learning experiences and apply them in innovative (new and creative) ways to demonstrate comprehension and performance in novel situations.
• Thoroughly (systematically and methodically) analyze their own and others' assumptions and carefully evaluate the relevance of contexts when presenting a position or potential solution.
• Evaluate and apply diverse perspectives to complex problems within natural or human systems in the face of multiple and even conflicting positions (i.e. cultural, disciplinary, and ethical).
• Recognize ethical issues when presented in a complex, multilayered (gray) context and recognize cross-relationships among the issues when tackling a messy problem.
• Explore a problem in depth, yielding a rich awareness that can be applied to a potential solution.
• Identify multiple approaches for solving a problem that apply within a specific context.

To Reach this Level:

• Complete Level 2 and serve as an active DI Fellow for a minimum of two semesters.

Unlocked at this Level: 

• Level 3 Fellows are formally recognized and 'pinned' as a "DI Fellow Mentor."
• Level 3 Fellows serve as a “DI Fellow Peer Mentor” for Level 1 and 2 DI Fellows.
• Level 3 Fellows are granted free attendance to any of the DI HUB’s paid workshops.
• Level 3 Fellows can apply for funding of up to $1,000/project to support the development of collaborative challenge-based innovation projects.

To Level Up: 

• Attend  all bi-monthly mandatory DI Fellows Program meetings.
• Attend the mandatory start-of-year DI Fellows Launch Meeting (Fall semester).
• Attend the mandatory end-of-year DI Fellows Celebration (Spring semester). 
• Volunteer at least 15 hours per semester in support of DI projects, activities, or programs.
• Serve as a “DI Fellow Peer Mentor” for a minimum of one Level 1 or Level 2 DI Fellow.
• Read, review, respond to, and validate all posted DI Toolkit reflections for Level 1-3 Fellows.
• Complete DI experiences and post Canvas reflections on how you have addressed the following DI Toolkit Elements:
  • Reframing the Challenge
  • Implementing Powerful and Novel Solutions
  • Iterate! Evaluate!
• Lead the development, planning, and execution of at least one new challenge-based innovation (CBI) project or learning opportunity with other students in the DI Fellows Program that bring awareness to the program and help other students in the program gain experience with the DI Toolkit Elements.

Upon completion of this level, students will be able to:

• Tailor communication strategies to effectively express, listen, and adapt to others to establish relationships within a collaborative team environment. 
• Engage team members in ways that facilitate their contributions to team activities by both constructively building upon or synthesizing the contributions of others as well as noticing when someone is not participating and inviting them to engage.
• Independently create wholes out of multiple parts (synthesizes) and draw conclusions by combining examples, facts, or theories from more than one field of study or perspective.
• Integrate alternate, divergent, or contradictory perspectives or ideas fully.
• Develop a logical, consistent plan to solve a problem, recognize the consequences of that plan, and articulate their reason for choosing that plan.
• Implement solutions in a manner that addresses thoroughly and deeply multiple contextual factors of the problem.

To Reach this Level:

• Complete Level 3 and serve as an active DI Fellow for a minimum of three semesters.

Unlocked at this Level: 

• Level 4 Fellows are formally recognized and 'pinned' as a "DI Fellow Master."
• Level 4 Fellows are granted free use of any machine within the DI HUB (usage fees waived).
• Level 4 Fellows serve as part of the “DI Fellows Leadership Team” which helps to lead the DI Fellows Program and direct the planning and implementation of DI Fellows Program activities.
• Level 4 Fellows can apply for funding of up to $5,000/project to support the development of collaborative challenge-based innovation projects.

Ongoing Tasks at this Level: 

• Attend  all bi-monthly mandatory DI Fellows Program meetings.
• Attend the mandatory start-of-year DI Fellows Launch Meeting (Fall semester).
• Attend the mandatory end-of-year DI Fellows Celebration (Spring semester).
• Volunteer at least 15 hours per semester in support of DI projects, activities, or programs.  
• Lead the development, planning, and execution of at least one new challenge-based innovation (CBI) project or learning opportunity with other students in the DI Fellows Program that bring awareness to the program and help other students in the program gain experience with the DI Toolkit Elements.

Upon completion of this level, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate initiative in team leadership of complex collaborative activities, accompanied by reflective analysis about the aims and accomplishments of their actions.
• Adapt and apply skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained in one situation to new situations to solve difficult problems or explore complex issues in original ways.
• Independently create wholes out of multiple parts (synthesizes) or draws conclusions by combining examples, facts, or theories from more than one field of study or perspective.
• Actively seek out and follow through on untested and potentially risky directions or approaches to solve a given problem.
• Demonstrate the ability and commitment to collaboratively work across and within community contexts and structures to achieve a civic aim.
• Support a constructive team climate by doing all of the following:
  • Treat team members respectfully by being polite and constructive in communication.
  • Use positive vocal or written tone, facial expressions, and/or body language to convey a positive attitude about the team and its work.
  • Motivate teammates by expressing confidence about the importance of the task and the team's ability to accomplish it.
  • Provide assistance and/or encouragement to team members.
  • Extend a novel or unique idea, question, format, or product to create new knowledge or knowledge that crosses boundaries.
  • Transform ideas or solutions into entirely new forms.