Take a walk with Fanshawe. On the collaboration side

September 06

By Maureen Spencer Golovchenko
Staff Writer within the Fanshawe Corporate Communications Team

Background

I am delighted to serve in a unique position linking my previous role as Pillar’s Community Collaboration Program Manager with my current role as Staff Writer on Fanshawe’s Corporate Communications team. As such, an unanticipated outcome of my new role is an opportunity to “bridge” between the two organizations, as Fanshawe is a co-tenant at Innovation Works (and an early adopter of the “idea” of a social innovation shared space).  I am able to promote awareness and understanding of social innovation to my campus colleagues – by accessing the Fanshawe tenancy.

Also, as a Fanshawe College alumna, I am proud to join my college alma mater with an opportunity to share good news stories about Fanshawe’s outreach in the community. And, against the backdrop of personal and professional experience gained while serving as Pillar’s collective impact staff resource for three years … when the social innovation shared space was just a dream … I only need look to Innovation Works as a key example of cross-sector collaboration.
 

What we can learn
Maximizing Fanshawe @ Innovation Works

Centre for Research and innovation (CRI)

  • Dan Douglas, Dean; Key Fanshawe contact for Innovation Works (IW)

    • Integrates use of Innovation Works into many components of CRI’s mandate and staff work

    • Hosted a one-day CRI Departmental Retreat onsite in the BMO Ideas Bank board room

  • Stephanie Hernandez, Outreach Coordinator

    • Uses a Fanshawe desk every few weeks to “collide” with people and promote opportunities to engage with Fanshawe research and entrepreneurship

  • Jodi Hall, Faculty member and researcher with the School of Nursing

    • Hosts Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) grant research investigating the impact of improving digital literacy among marginalized women
       

Reputation and Brand Management – Corporate Communications

  • Elaine Gamble, Senior Communications Manager  

    • Hosted a Corporate Communications Team meeting onsite and a tour of the shared space

  • Maureen Spencer Golovchenko, Part-time writer within the Communications Team; Former Community Collaboration Program Manager for Pillar Nonprofit Network (Pillar manages Innovation Works)

    • Works from a Fanshawe desk one day every three weeks to represent the college in meeting fellow social innovators and co-tenants, finding good news stories as topics, interviewing/writing  


Employment and Student Entrepreneurial Services – Leap Junction

  • Annette Markvoort, Supervisor of Entrepreneurial Studies and Entrepreneurial Animator for Leap Junction

    • Uses a Fanshawe desk to promote opportunities to engage with Fanshawe entrepreneurship and Leap Junction

    • Attends onsite meetings as Chair on the Economic Roadmap Initiative Communications Committee and a member of the Entrepreneurial Support Network (ESN)

    • Hosted a 3-day LeapIN Summer Incubator onsite with ten students and three staff participating

    • Three of the LeapIN crew competed in the IW Rap Pitch competition with Fanshawe student entrepreneur Greg Nakonecznyj taking top prize of $500

    • Greg Nakonecznyj with his enterprise FR8 Living Solutions is now a co-tenant through a Libro Credit Union sponsored social enterprise desk

    • Student entrepreneur Nicole Snobelen with her enterprise Evelyn Fashion Design will soon be a co-tenant through the Libro-sponsored desks, as well

    • Student entrepreneur Richard Gracious of Gracious Records was recently named “London Artist in Residence” with the London Arts Council located in Innovation Works

    • Recent graduate Nicole Coenen with North Cut Studios was just hired by the London Arts Council in a role of videographer and social media liaison


Office of the President

  • President Peter Devlin and the Executive Leadership Team

    • Hosted a one-day planning session onsite in the Collaboration Station

    • Enjoyed an animated tour through the lens of current use by Fanshawe College stakeholders
       

School of Applied Science and Technology

  • Dave Machacek, Chair of the School of Applied Science and Technology

    • Hosted a one-day Faculty Retreat onsite in the Innovation Works Solutions Lab and Commons


School of Language and Liberal Studies

  • Jessica Burgorski, Chair of the School of Language and Liberal Studies

    • Hosted Coordinators in the Innovation Works RBC Vault for a professional development event


Innovation Works Education Co-Tenant Committee

  • Fanshawe representatives Maureen Spencer Golovchenko, Annette Markvoort and Stephanie Hernandez serve on an IW Committee with co-tenant members from Western, King’s, Huron, Brescia and the Thames Valley District School Board, with a goal to create enhanced opportunities for student involvement at the shared space.