SISU - NMU Events and Announcements

SISU

SISU: The Innovation Institute at NMU is an internal hub for innovation and transformational education encouraging the cultivation of ideas leading to relevant and sustainable university services and academic programs. As an internal hub for innovation, SISU provides a welcoming and inclusive space for members of the NMU community to bring or generate, collaborate, and develop ideas for programs and services.

SISU uses a design thinking framework to gain insights, and refine ideas. It serves as a home for experimental academic programs and services.

This year: Taking “PIF to IF”  The original idea behind the Program Incentive Funding (PIF) was very much about implementing new programs specifically. The new process of  Innovation Funding (IF) is about engaging ideas at all phases of the process, whether it is a tiny seed that needs to be explored, a brand new idea that’s ready to be built out, or an existing service/program that needs to be reimagined. This process is much more about embracing the “What IF” of innovation.

With the IF cycle, everyone is offered a seat at the table. SISU will intake ideas from not just faculty and staff, but students and community members as well. 

Before a proposal is to move into the next stage of innovation, the project team must participate or have participated in an Intro to Design Thinking workshop and a Funding Workshop.

SISU is offering Intro to Design Thinking on the following days.  

SISU

Hello all,

My name is Bill Digneit and I am the Director of SISU The Innovation Institute here at NMU.  I would like to cordially invite you to join SISU: The Innovation Institute at Northern Michigan University for a 90 minute design thinking micro credential course. This course will be taught by Dr. Garret Westlake, SISU Scholar and Executive Director Virginia Commonwealth University da Vinci Center for Innovation. Participants will receive micro credentials from both VCU and SISU for completing this learning experience and have the opportunity to practice  the principles and process of design thinking. 

Join us in the Northern Center on March 16th at 10am.  This experience is free and open to all NMU campus community members and we look forward to you joining us.  

Please let us know you are attending by completing this form.

SISU

My name is Bill Digneit and I am the Director of SISU: The Innovation Institute here at NMU.  I would like to cordially invite you to join us at the Northern Center for a 120 minute design thinking workshop, focused on the arts and their bright future here at NMU. This event is open to all students, staff, and faculty. We look forward to you all joining us for this exciting event. Please let us know if you have any questions. 

The world is constantly changing, making the future more than a moving target. But sometimes it feels like education has a hard time keeping up. As you build your skills for a future career, you also have to juggle the reality that you may be getting a job that doesn't even exist yet. If this is the case, how might we envision college programs that provide the skills necessary to gain a job while also preparing students for an agile, innovative future?

In this two-hour design thinking session, students will be led by VCUarts Assistant Professor Garreth Blackwell, Phd through a series of exercises to identify and ideate what NMU might look like in the future. If you have ever wanted to know more about design thinking or have an interest in what colleges will look like in the future, please join us on Thursday, March 17th at 2:00pm in the Northern Center. Let us know in advance by completing this form.

SISU

Come learn about SISU: Innovation Institute at NMU and what it can do for you.

Look for us under the big white tent on the Academic Mall.

Bring your ideas big or small!