Solution Center

Introduction

  • Begun in May 2004 through University funding and a grant from the Lilly Endowment, the Solution Center serves as IUPUI’s “Front Door” for community engagement, working to coordinate internships, community assistance projects, and research initiatives for businesses and organizations with and among the IUPUI community.  
  • The Solution Center also administers the Nonprofit Solutions Initiative, designed to provide assistance to nonprofits working with consultants; offer networking and information-sharing tools and events; and create continuing education and training opportunities for consultants and nonprofit professionals.

Teaching and Learning

  • The Solution Center and the IUPUI Career Services Council developed high-touch, industry-specific programming targeting student leaders and honors students, including a meet-and-greet event between local entrepreneur Scott Jones and twenty of IUPUI’s “Top 100” students.
  • According to the 2007 Solution Center impact study, over 90 percent of students in Solution Center internships believe they are better prepared for their first jobs.  In addition, over 80 percent of students in Solution Center internships believe they have a more realistic view of their career.
  • The first Nonprofit Solutions Networking Session was held in September 2007, with a focus on nonprofit capacity building needs, and attracted over 80 nonprofit staff and consultants. 

Civic Engagement

  • In 2007-2008, the Solution Center responded to over 1,000 requests for information and assistance from local businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies.
  • In 2007-2008, the Solution Center coordinated over 300 internships, class and research projects, and other experiential learning opportunities with 124 community partners.
  • The Nonprofit Solutions Initiative has made connections with over 100 nonprofits through peer-led training, networking sessions, the Nonprofit Solutions Annual Conference, and other outreach programs. 
  • According to the 2007 Solution Center impact study, 92 percent of Solution Center partners believe the partnership enabled the development of new programs or services.  In addition, 95 percent of Solution Center partners believe their organization improved as a result of hosting an intern or participating in a project.

Examples of 2007-2008 projects include:

  • Students from the School of Informatics, School of Liberal Arts, and  School of Engineering and Technology partnered with the Solution Center and the American Legion to create a branding package for the American Legion Boys’ and Girls’ State Programs.  The video, Web site, and marketing materials were sent to every American Legion post in the United States.  The Solution Center was able to secure funds in partnership with the IUPUI Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Initiative for the five-student team. 
  • The IUPUI Solution Center connected honors students from the Kelley School of Business with two marketing executives from the Eli Lilly Corporation to help La Plaza, a local organization dedicated to serving and empowering Latinos of Central Indiana, develop a comprehensive marketing plan.  Students conducted research and focus groups to identify La Plaza’s central message and gauge community perceptions, and then developed a marketing plan for implementation.
  • The Herron Community Museum Lab is an experimental, student-led initiative dedicated to exploring new ways to address and involve the community through art-making activities, exhibitions, and events. The Solution Center guided faculty members from Herron and the School of Liberal Arts to procure a Service Learning Assistant Grant and a Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Initiative block grant to support the CML’s student curators and artists.

Diversity

  • The Solution Center assisted the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce Hispanic Business Council in organizing a research project involving students in conducting surveys and interviews in the field of Government Organization and Business at various Hispanic-owned businesses. The students entered the data they gathered into a Web-based system for analysis.  The resulting report was presented to the chamber. The Solution Center was able to secure $7,000 in funding for this student research project.

Best Practices

  • The Solution Center partnered with the IUPUI Career Services Council to determine best practices in experiential learning programs across campus, to develop a campus-wide career calendar, and to complete a comprehensive program of employer-relations events geared toward small and mid-size businesses.