FUSE: Fostering University Student Engagement
F.U.S.E. is a website that facilitates innovative connections and support among students, faculty members, staff, graduate students, and eventually the broader Guelph community. The site can serve as an excellent means for students to connect with experts in various fields and find resource people, speakers or workshop facilitators. The metaphor in the acronym FUSE speaks to desire to help connect students' passion for learning and community engagement with the expertise and experience of faculty, staff, and graduate students. FUSE also suggests the surge of energy that can result from tapping into this vast resource.
How does it work?
For Faculty, Staff and Graduate Students
University of Guelph employees, including faculty, staff, and graduate students, login to create profiles. These profiles list professional information and interests as well as opportunities that the employee might be willing to participate in. This is an opportunity for faculty, staff and graduate students to promote ongoing research intitiatives, to connect with each other's work, to engage in innovative partnerships and eventually mobilize University resources to engage with broader communities.
For Students
University of Guelph students login to search for resources based on the information contained in the employee profiles. This web site will enable you access the wealth of expertise and experience available on campus to facilitate your engagement with the community at large while also developing your capacity to learn from the great resources available here in the university community.
As a student, you have the opportunity to search FUSE to find faculty, staff or graduate students who could potentially act as resources for your group or club as facilitators, speakers or advisors.
How does it work?
After you log in, you will be able to search for the resource you are looking for according to the topic of interest with the "keyword" and "guided search" features. Under"guided search" you can find advisors, mentors, facilitators, keynote speakers or resource people as well as an indication of how much notice they require. See the definitions below to clarify what each of the various roles entail.
Once you have narrowed down your search, click on the individual you want to connect with and read more about their areas of expertise, extensive knowledge, interests, and community or campus connections.
If you are interested in connecting with the person, click on the green "connect" button to send an email request.
To ensure that your request is complete, there is a template for you to adapt as your letter of request. Once you send your request, the faculty, staff member or graduate student will contact you directly at their earliest convenience.
Student Life is constantly striving to develop our growing data base of indivduals who want to share their expertise with students; so keep checking back to see what new experts are on the site!
Definitions:
Advisor: A person who is willing to consult with students about an approach to addressing an issue or presenting a topic by giving recommendations, information or resources
Mentor: A person who is extremely experienced in an area and willing to guide students through a process to increase their capacity to perform a skill or practice independently
Facilitator/Chair: A person who helps bring an outcome to the discussion or a workshop by effectively guiding the group to articulate ideas through effective summarizing, grouping of ideas, and prioritizing
Key note speaker: A thorough presentation on a specific topic from a specialized noted speaker who provides groundwork on a topic to a general audience and inspires discussion and questions
Resource person: An individual whose experiences and knowledge are of value in helping to plan, provide specific instruction, or solve particular problems
Faculty, Staff and Graduate Student guide to FUSE
How does FUSE work?
Students search the FUSE site for experts on campus to assist them with in various capacities.
As a faculty member, staff member or graduate student willing to serve as a resource for students through the FUSE website, you are asked to create a profile. This will include entering your contact information, your areas of expertise or extensive knowledge, your involvement in the campus and community, as well as your willingness to assist as an advisor, mentor, facilitator, keynote speaker, or resource person.
For definitions outlining what each role entails, see below.
What kind of time commitment am I expected to give?
The time commitment is up to you. You will receive an email from the FUSE website with the student’s request for your assistance. It is up to you to respond to the request. You are able to update or disable your profile at any time. You will be sent an email annually from the FUSE website requesting you to update your profile as necessary.
Definitions:
Advisor: A persons who is willing to consult with the students about an approach to addressing an issue or presenting a topic by giving recommendations, information, or resources.
Mentor: A person who is extremely experienced in an area and willing to guide students through a process to increase their capacity to perform a skill or practice independently.
Facilitator/Chair: A person who helps bring an outcome to a discussion or workshop by effectively guiding the group to articulate ideas through effective summarizing, grouping of ideas, and prioritizing.
Key note speaker: A thorough presentation on a specific topic from a specialized noted speaker who provides groundwork on a topic to a general audience and inspires discussion and questions.
Resource person: An individual whose experiences and knowledge are of value in helping to plan, provide specific instructions, or solve particular problems.