The William Jewett Tucker Center’s mission is to help students, both religiously affiliated and not, develop “conscience and heart.” To aid in implementation of their mission, Tucker partnered with Design Corps to develop a deeper understanding of student interfaith leaders’ needs and build corresponding supports for interfaith collaboration and faith group continuity over time. Additionally, the team investigated campus awareness of the Tucker Center’s mission and the resources they offer to all students.
Rev. Dr. Nancy A.G. Voegel Chaplain and Director of the William Jewett Tucker Center
Abdul Rahman Latif Muslim Chaplain and Associate Director of the William Jewett Tucker Center
Ellie Anders Thompson Multi-Faith Advisor of the William Jewett Tucker Center
Elijah Smith Student Worker at the William Jewett Tucker Center
The Design Corps Tucker Team conducted an extensive design research process that included interviews with faith group student leaders, facilitated discussions with Tucker Center student group leaders of the United Campus Ministers and Advisors and Tucker Center Ministers, and participating in student inter-faith events to build relationships, understand group interactions. The team often collaborated with their project partners and lead them through design activities. They also explored how other Dartmouth organizations support student-staff relationships and sustain community and engagement.
The team discovered that Tucker needed to foster a culture of commitment and meaningful engagement, and that interfaith conversations connected students and fostered shared investment in inter-group collaboration. The team also learned that their solution must be inclusive, welcoming, and engaging for all student groups. Strengthening and supporting communication and bonds between Tucker Center Staff, interfaith students groups would positively impact these relationships and any designed solution.
The team ideated and worked with their project partners to refine a solution; the Tucker Student Council. The council would be composed of student inter-faith leaders, Tucker interns, and students committed to interfaith relationships and dialogue. The goal of the Council was to promote inter-faith community, increase inter-group and Tucker-student communication, provide professional development and create space for students to play a role in decision making.
This solution met many of the teams researched specifications including:
<aside> ✅ Create a welcoming community for all students, fostering awareness of Tucker’s offerings and engagement with inter-faith dialogue.
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<aside> ✅ Decrease administrative and advisory burden for ministers.
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<aside> ✅ Design sustained supports that transmit knowledge and maintain continuity within ever-changing student groups.
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The Design Corps Tucker Team conducted 7 total user testing session for various components of the Tucker Student Council including a community dinner with council activities and feedback opportunities as well as a Staff/Intern Office Hour. Over 20 students were invited to the dinner along with UCM Ministers and Tucker Staff.
Image of two students talking at prototype Tucker Student Council dinner.
Image of several students interacting at the prototype dinner. A whiteboard is in the background that says, “Welcome Student Leaders!”
Image of at least 16 students eating and conversing at the prototype dinner.
The feedback from students who attended the prototype dinner helped to inspire the Tucker affiliated ministers, Tucker Staff Partners and the Tucker Design Corps Team! Tucker leadership recognized that this type of student support could become integral to Tucker Center’s programming mission by providing an ongoing opportunity for students to feel more informed, engaged, and supported.
The team took the feedback and iterated on their prototype to propose a structured calendar, defined terms of engagement, and logistical tasks necessary to complete in order to implement the Tucker Student Council. The team created a detailed handoff document so that Tucker Center could continue to build out and implement the proposed solutions.
Image of the Winter ‘23 Design Corps Tucker Team wearing matching Tucker Center shirts in front of Tucker Center/Center for Social Impact at Dartmouth building. From left to right we see team members: Christian, Anthony, Natalie and Monxell.