Designing the future of education around human connection at the REP4 Midwest Regional Summit

High school students from across the state of Michigan got a taste of the college experience and a chance to shape the future of their own education at the first overnight REP4 Midwest Regional Summit on July 15 and 16. 

REP4, which stands for Rapid Education Prototyping for Change, Learners, Community, Equity, is a national alliance founded by GVSU and eight other higher education partners across the country. The overnight Regional Summit was the first of two taking place on the Valley Campus this summer, bringing learners together from Grand Rapids, Detroit and Muskegon to participate in an intensive two-day liberatory design-thinking process. 

“We're hoping that you shed some light on things that may be barriers or obstacles to attending college,” said LuWanna Williams, REP4 executive director in her opening remarks.

Education has changed a lot since she and other higher ed leaders were in school, Williams explained, and REP4 aims to give current students a say in what the future of education will look like. 

“The idea is to make it a place for everyone, accessible to everyone,” said Williams. “We want you to come to college and feel welcome and supported, and to learn the foundations that you need to go on to be successful in life, whatever that looks like for you.”

Participants interviewed current Grand Valley student mentors, who shared stories about their early college years and navigating classes, managing their own schedules and learning how to advocate for themselves. After spending a day learning about the college experience, ideating and putting together prototypes, the groups presented their ideas on how to improve the transition from high school to college.

Pitches ranged from classes offered to high school seniors to teach them about college majors, scholarships and other resources, to an app that matches you with a “campus buddy” your first year to show you how to navigate college. 

Students also got a taste of college life, spending the night in a living center on campus, eating meals in a dining hall and exploring amenities including the Rec Center, a rock climbing wall and resources in Grand Valley’s student center. 

Between the overnight stay and the intensive design-thinking process, Grand Rapids University Prep student Zamaya Williams felt as if she had a better understanding of the college experience by the end.

“It’s not very common for grown-ups to take into account what students have to say,” said Williams. “REP4 gave us the opportunity to understand that they are here for us and willing to hear us and our ideas out.” 

One thing the students get from the REP4 experience is a better understanding of the reality of college life, said student mentor and biomedical sciences major Jessica Perez-Patino.

“College is very much your own kind of journey, and I think when kids go in thinking that it’s just a straight line, they get hurt with the actual reality,” said Perez-Patino, who is in her third year as a REP4 student mentor. “If we teach them it’s going to be a doozy; that they're not going to be perfect in the process, it kind of makes them feel more human.”

This was the first year that the summit had an overnight component, said Mike Saunders, REP4 Midwest Summit coordinator.

“We wanted to present an enhanced experience that was more about that human connection,” said Saunders.