Embrace Our Next Purpose

Teaching classes at the 1819 Innovation Hub flips the script on traditional education

How would you survive a zombie apocalypse? That’s the challenge Aaron Bradley often poses to students in his Inquiry to Innovation class at University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation Hub (iHub).

It taps into the problem-solving mindset and working as a team,” says Bradley, an associate professor of creative, culture and social impact initiatives in UC’s Division of Experience-Based Learning and Career Education. “What they're really doing is learning to get outside of their preconceived notions of how to take ownership or lead in an area, or habits that inhibit a brainstorm, like posturing for who has the best idea on the team.”

This exercise and Bradley are representative of the uniqueness of the iHub. The Avondale building is home to corporate and community partners and is a place for students and faculty to flip the script on traditional education. Serving as a front door for business and industry partners to connect with students and the UC community, the 100,000-square-foot building is outfitted with state-of-the-art technology, including a 12,000 square foot makerspace, shared office spaces, classrooms, huddle rooms, and gathering spaces.

Bradley says as experiential learning has become a signature strength of UC, his team focuses on connecting students with industry partners through co-ops, internships, projects and classes. The goal is to set them up for a long-term trajectory of success.

“At the end of the day, our mission is to educate these students and help make them more well-rounded, holistic people who are contributors to society, and hopefully that involves getting a good job and pursuing the type of life that they want to have,” Bradley says.

And sometimes that starts with imagining zombies.

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