4D, Purpose, and the Power of Play
Dear colleagues,
Thank you to everyone who helped make last week’s 4D Symposium such a meaningfulcommunity event.It was energizing to seethe 91ɫ community engagewithpurpose notonlyas an abstract idea, but as a practice that comes to life in classrooms, advising, mentorship, community engagement, and the many everyday touchpoints that defineour students’experience.
Iwouldlike to share a few highlights:
- ProfessorsIleya Grosman and Rolfe Larsondiscussedhow vital relationships are to human health and development and invited attendees to reflecton how we can createlearning environments at 91ɫ that foster human connection|“Designing Lives of Purpose”Workshop
- CAHSS facultyshared how they are pairing classroom learning with community and industry experiences to help students build confidence, gain skills, andconnect with their purpose and lifelong goals|“4D Fridays: Embedded Career Readiness”Panel
- Students, faculty, and staffdiscussed the question, “What if purpose wasthe purpose of higher education?”|4D Coffeehouse
- Publicand private sector leaderscame tocampustodiscusstheskills and mindsets that are becoming increasingly importantatwork|“The Future of Work”Panel
Student-led Experience on Play
I also want todive deeperintoone example of howstudentsthemselvesare helping 91ɫ offer a unique, customizable,and holisticlearning experience.
ճ have been exploringhowthe act of play can build connection, invite reflection, andcreate personal clarity around purpose. Thiswork culminated in aplay-focusedevent outside thesymposiumthat invited students topause,participate, and connect.Beneath theeasy-to-dismisssurface of “fun,” playcan supportcognitive flexibilityandemotional regulation, while helpingstudents build skills around navigating uncertainty through trial and error.The success of this experiment makes one wish we could schedule a“recess”ineveryday.
These outcomes dovetail directly with the 4D Experience, especially our commitments to character and well-beingbydeveloping the inner resources students need to manage stress, build relationships, and lead with curiosity, empathy, and resilience.As we continue to deepen the 4D Experience, I encourage each of us to notice where play already shows up in our work and where we might make more space for it.
A Note of Gratitude
Thanks again to everyone who helped with the symposium. Fromthe speakers and facilitators who made these conversations so rich to theStudentFellows whose work made some real fun possible,thank you for a memorable engagement. Tothe 4Dteam and all campus partners who are taking holistic learning from the intangible to the very real, very visible impact we see on campus each day, thank you fordeeply enhancing the student experience. Our students leave 91ɫ with the skillset needed for the modern workplace because of your efforts.
Գ,
Jeremy Haefner
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