As part of a Design Planning course, the following platform was developed and presented at Doblin / Monitor Group in Chicago. Team members included myself, Patricia Wang, Stephanie Smith, Susan DeVito, and Alison Tisza. Included are photos of brainstorming sessions and the final deliverable.

re:MARK – Introduction

Universities have a unique role in today’s society because they are a gateway into the adult world for many young adults. They are one of the only places that exist where youth of incredibly diverse interests and backgrounds congregate to finish their education and learn from each other.

Today’s digital society allows these students to connect to others who share their interests and social circles, but only if they seek them out.

At a time where 30% of college students drop out after their first year, students are disengaged 75% of the time, and where the average tuition spent on private schools is $120K, the benefits of being at the university are shrinking compared to the amount of money out the window.

A new type of platform is needed to help engage these young adults during their transition into adulthood, one that helps them connect with others and reap the benefits of the university.

How might we help universities foster effectual student discourse?

re:MARK is a digital and physical experience at the university that allows students the breadth of social networking and interaction online while fostering discourse and group development in a physical setting, spanning all four years of college, all interest groups, and all majors.

As people, we define ourselves through our personal self, our social self, and our collective self – and all three need to be cultivated throughout our lives, especially during crucial developmental periods such as adolescence. Re:MARK addresses each form of self by integrating the personal interests of the students to collective groups and fostering the university community as a whole. The following posters describe a student’s journey through a university that has adopted re:MARK.