WHAT IS
BUILD UP?
As the 3rd installment in our annual summer design series, Build Up is a 10-week program where students will work with a nonprofit organization to refine their branding, redesign their website, or boost their exposure.
These nonprofits fall into 3 categories: LGBTQ+ advocacy, women's empowerment, and refugee and immigrant relief. Mentored by industry professionals, participants will learn valuable real-world skills by delivering long term solutions to uplift these organizations.
Over
view
June 27 - August 29, 2022- 12 - 15 hr commitment per week
- Network with industry professionals
- Help nonprofits
Central Themes
In your application, you’ll be asked to rank the central themes you are most interested in. Learn more about each theme and the missions of the organizations that you’ll be working with.
- LGBTQ+ individuals face a disproportionate amount of discrimination and challenges in all areas of public and private life. These organizations work to support more inclusive spaces and practices for the community.
- How might we increase engagement for nonprofits/institutions that advocate for the welfare of LGBTQ+ people in order to create a more compassionate environment?
- Women-led organizations uplift women by providing essential items (e.g., gently used clothing, bedding, toiletries) and resources such as support-groups, trauma-based therapy, and more. These organizations are made by women, for women, and work to address discrimination and bias produced by patriarchal societal norms.
- How might we elevate support for women's organizations in order to promote resources for women through a design-lens?
- Refugees and immigrants confront substantial instances of prejudice and cultural barriers daily. These organizations strive to restore justice and equity, working to cultivate a safe, educated, and resourceful community for those struggling with displacement.
- How might we refine and expand their resources in order to help provide refugees and immigrants with a reliable support system?
WHY APPLY?
Build Up your portfolio and resume
Develop a unique and tangible project to share with industry professionals, along with a meaningful story of your journey as you Build Up your initial ideas to final deliverables.
Network with peers and industry professionals
Get to collaborate with students from different backgrounds and connect with mentors and impactful nonprofits in the community!
Put classroom knowledge to use in a real-world setting
Apply your academic design knowledge this summer by solving real-world problems and taking part in social justice initiatives.
Create meaningful solutions for social impact nonprofits
Work directly to address current social issues that you care about and be a part in spreading awareness through universal design thinking!
Here’s what previous participants of Power Up have to say about the program:
“You often hear about how group projects suck in college, but having a group of focused and knowledgeable teammates made the last 10 weeks a breeze and I appreciate them.”
— Adrian Valdez, Power Up participant
“It really helped me stay within that realm of sharing designs to a team and stakeholders which ultimately made me more comfortable in interviewing for full-time roles at companies.”
— Nicolette Shin, Power Up participant
Here’s where previous participants of Level Up and Power Up now work at:
FAQ
{WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR BUILD UP?}
Registration is open to UCSD students and recent graduates of all levels and backgrounds. We encourage everyone to apply and share their own unique perspectives, knowledge, and skills!
{WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT?}
Build Up will require a 12-15 hour commitment per week, for 10 weeks.
{HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ACCEPTED?}
Build Up will have around 6 student teams. Teams will have a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 members, so there will be a total of 24-36 participants.
{HOW WILL BUILD UPPERS BE SELECTED?}
We will be reviewing all the applications holistically and accepting students based on application responses, past experience, and desire to make an impact!
{WHO WILL MY MENTORS BE?}
More information about mentors will be released in the coming week(s). There will be 6-8 design mentors and 6-8 marketing mentors, with 2-3 mentors assigned to each team.
{CAN I REQUEST TEAMMATES?}
Yes! We cannot guarantee you will be placed with everyone you request, but we will take this into consideration when organizing teams.
{WHAT ROLES ARE AVAILABLE?}
Each team in Build Up may be comprised of a Web Builder/Developer, UX Designer, UX Researcher, Visual Designer, and Marketing + Content Strategist. Roles are flexible depending on the number of people working on the project, the deliverables, and the level of difficulty.
{WHEN IS THE APPLICATION DUE?}
Monday, June 13 at 11:59PM PT. Decisions will be sent out around a week after the application deadline.
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