Q.What experience have three Social Policy students identified as being one of the best experiences they have had during their undergraduate years at Northwestern?
A. The WINGSPREAD CONFERENCE!
Wingspread conferences are unique opportunities for Social Policy students to meet and interact with leaders from across the United States and around the world, in a variety of policy fields. The weekend conferences are fully-paid for (including travel costs to Wisconsin).
Sample topics include:
- International Social Venture
- Transforming schools into Strong Learning Communities
- Re-negotiation of Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
- Renewable Energy in the Midwest
- Planning a Summit on Citizen Diplomacy
- Institutionalizing University Engagement
- Improving Teacher Quality Through Governance Changes
- Reforming Urban Science Teacher Preparation
Participating in Wingspread is an honor. To be considered for this honor, students submit a proposal in which they discuss their reasons for wanting to attend and how they are prepared to participate (although the emphasis is on student learning, so there is no need to be an expert... just to have an interest in the topic). Wingspread's goal is to have student participants absorb what is occurring and to interact with (and learn from) the professional participants.
Typically, a total of two undergraduates (selected from a group of universities in the Midwest) are invited to attend.
For more information, contact Northwestern's Wingspread coordinator, Jeanne Ravid at: j-ravid@northwestern.eduj-ravid@northwestern.edu.
WHAT DO YOUR PEERS SAY ABOUT WINGSPREAD?
Laura Beres: Social Policy '03
Wingspread gave me a unique opportunity to learn about International Social Venture from the experts in the filed. An opportunity that was both intensely intellectually stimulating and personally relaxing, I was able to ask questions of engaging professionals while enjoying Racine, WI and the prairie architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. It gave me insight into potential career fields as well as contacts I can use in the future. It was a phenomenal growth opportunity.
Jess Filante: Social Policy '04
The Wingspread conference I attended, "Transforming schools into Strong Learning Communities," was a summit of educators, policy makers, and research specialists in education who all came together for the cause of improving education. Not only was this weekend incredible due to the plush accommodations, (conferences are hosted in a building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) but I felt it was instrumental in furthering my understanding of education, teaching me how to interact with adults, honing my debating skills and overall exposing me to the world of policy change. Observing and participating in the summit, I experienced first-hand the frustration of compromise, the passion of debate, and the glory of synthesis.