Virtual Worlds

Alumni family members worked together to complete several fun-filled STEM projects this spring.

STEM Projects for Future Rosies Like parents across the nation, many of our alumni and friends have suddenly become educators, with their children transitioning to a home learning environment. The Office of Alumni Relations is providing a chance to keep STEM cells working, for youths and adults, through a series of fun-filled activities in its Future Rosies program. The weekly activities cover aspects of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and art. Projects challenge kids just starting to explore their STEM interests, and offer something more complex for older, more experienced scientists, engineers, computer programmers and mathematicians. All elements of STEM are covered, including invention and entrepreneurship. The machines activity offered the opportunity to build a Lego-based zip line, model elevator, rollercoaster (from straws), race car and a Rube Goldberg machine. The five forces affecting civil engineering projects were studied, as participants created bridges, towers, domes and tunnels. An introduction to computer coding provided five levels of activities, including a robots challenge, creating a 3D Flappy Bird and personalized Google header logo, participating in the Barbie: You Can Be Anything game, and creating a digital app. See photos and videos from families and their projects on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #futurerosies. Meanwhile, the Alumni Association resurrected a Throwback Thursday photo campaign through its Rose-Hulman Alumni Facebook page, featuring images of past campus shenanigans, historic buildings and vintage special events.

‘Amazing’ Graduation Event Planned for Class of 2020 It might not be the traditional experience that members of the 2020 graduating class had in mind, but this year’s Commencement will be an amazing experience, thanks to a virtual event that centered on making May 30 as personal and special as their on-campus ceremony would have been. Starting at 8:30 p.m. EST, the event will include the traditional “walk” through campus, short addresses from members of the senior class, a brief keynote speech from Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, recognition of graduates receiving honors and awards, and an opportunity for each senior to “receive” their diploma from their respective department head. At the end, members of the Class of 2020 will have an opportunity to interact live with classmates, professors, coaches and other members of the Rose-Hulman community. There will be a few other special touches that will be sure to make the experience uniquely Rose. Find out more at www.rose-hulman.edu/ceremony. Meanwhile, these other online events have kept alumni and students connected this spring:

Virtual happy hours have allowed alumni in the Cincinnati and Chicago areas to interact, with more cities being planned by the Office of Alumni Relations.

An alumni trivia night was a popular place for teams of alumni, family and friends to gather. Look for more of these events as well in the future.

A special trivia contest for students and friends was organized by the Office of Student Affairs, organized by 2011 alumnus Marc Pardee.

The Residence Life Team has organized a new “Talkin’ Bout Rose” podcast on Wednesdays, starting at 9 p.m. EST, on Spotify and online radio station WMHD (www.wmhdradio.org).

Student groups have been hosting club and organization meetings to build continuity for the 2020-21 school year.

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Rediscovering Our Campus Alumni can experience what it is like to visit campus and see its many changes through a new online Let’s Start, Let’s Connect, Let’s Discover, and Let’s Explore experience. The project was produced in partnership with the Offices of Enrollment Management and Communications and Marketing, along with a number of campus offices. The Let’s Start section covers everything from academics to student life. Short videos replicate the in-person Preview Day experience, as some familiar faces tell the Rose-Hulman story. The Let’s Connect area provides a way for prospective students and their families to get answers to any of their questions, through personal discussions with admissions counselors, faculty and staff. See how students won’t just find themselves, they’ll find their people through a Let’s Discover showcase of videos featuring some of our favorite people, projects and places on campus. The Let’s Explore adventure features a Google Earth Tour that highlights campus academic buildings, labs and more. View all of these new experiences at www.rose-hulman.edu/visit.

Staying Physically, Mentally Fit A special social media network organized by the sports and recreation facilities staff is keeping the campus community physically and mentally fit and active these days—just like if they were on campus. A continuing series of video installments provide fitness, intramural and recreation activities on the Recreation, Sports and Athletic Facilities’ Facebook page (/RoseRecSports) and via the social media hashtag #stayingremotelyconnected. “We wanted to remain engaged with the students and provide the extracurricular experience that they are missing out on by not being physically on campus,” says Seth Woodason, director of sports and recreation facilities. “Developing #stayingremotelyconnected has helped expand the program across all of our platforms. Seeing the engagement from students, the campus community and parents has been encouraging and well worth the effort.” Videos have included staff members leading online physical fitness classes (posted each Monday), creating healthy snacks (Wednesday) and helpful how-to professional development tips (Friday). Other features provided a Couch-to-5K running program that culminated with a live virtual 5-kilometer run and the college’s annual The Tusk Triathlon and 5-kilometer run to support local breast cancer patients and their families.