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the Wond'ry

the Wond'ry

Student Recruitment

APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED. Accepted students will receive more information soon.

The Coffee Equity Design Challenge is a 12-week design challenge that invites Vanderbilt University undergraduate and graduate students to get involved in the Coffee Equity Lab’s mission to increase equitable access to educational resources and information for all coffee professionals. Through a facilitated program comprised of workshops, mentorship, office hours, and special events, Vanderbilt students are challenged to design meaningful prototypes for how we may help resolve a specific equity or sustainability challenge in the global coffee industry.

The Coffee Equity Design Challenge will kick off in January 2022 with this question:

How might we standardize and advance industry understandings of key social, economic, and environmental sustainability priorities in the global coffee sector—and the interconnectedness between those priorities—through the creation of a visually compelling, easy-to-understand infographic or other visual educational resource?

 

 

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THE SPRING ’22 PROGRAM.

The program will kick off on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 and run through Wednesday, April 13, 2022. Required workshops will be held on Weeks 1-7. At least one individual from each team is required to attend each workshop. Recordings will be made available. 

Round 1: Coffee Sustainability workshops and mentorship with coffee professionals will introduce you to the topic of the design challenge and provide you with the information you need to respond to the challenge. Teams have 8 weeks to create a prototype of their coffee sustainability infographic. A team of judges comprised of coffee sustainability professionals selects up to 5 finalist teams to advance to round 2.

Round 2: Up to 5 teams are invited to join forces with other teams or proceed on their proprietary design. Teams will be provided feedback on their prototypes by the judging panel in Week 9. Finalist teams then have 3 weeks to revise their prototype to be presented during Week 12.

Finals: Top teams present their final prototype to a prestigious panel of coffee industry judges, with up to three teams’ prototypes selected to inform the creation of the final Coffee Sustainability Infographic, a public resource that will be disseminated via the Coffee Equity Lab throughout the global coffee industry. Prizes are awarded to top teams.

Perks of Participation 

  • If you’re an undergraduate, use participation to fulfill your Immersion Vanderbilt requirement.
  • If you’re a graduate student, gain professional experience in a global industry
  • Gain exposure to industry professionals and realize networking opportunities
  • Receive professional headshots
  • Contribute to the creation of a more equitable coffee sector and see your ideas inform future action
  • Sharpen teamwork and collaboration skills, project management, and confidence in leadership
  • Learn to use systems thinking and equity-centered design to help address real-world challenges
  • Explore how your academic education could lead to a purposeful career in a global industry like coffee
  • Enjoy coffee from local Nashville roasters

 

Watch a CEDC Info Session Recording

Check out Recordings of the Fall ’21 Coffee Equity Conversations

1. An Intro to Access to Information and Education: A Coffee Equity Challenge

  • Moderator: Vava Angwenyi, Founder of Kenya-based Vava Coffee.
    Speakers: Dr. Kate Fischer, Cultural Anthropologist at UC Boulder, Vera Espíndola Rafael, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Colombia-based Azahar Coffee Company, & Maggy Kemunto, Founder of Kahawa 1893 and third-generation Kenyan coffee farmer.
    Recording Available Here. 

 

2. Information and Education Access as a Consumer-Side Change Agent

  • Moderator: Ellie Hudson, Independent Consultant, Former Director, Specialty Coffee Association.
    Speakers: Brandon Bir, Director of Sustainability at Crimson Cup Coffee, Cheyenne Xochitl Love, Founder of Queer Wave Coffee, Lori Jones, Owner of Blackology Coffee, & Darrell Baskin, Retail Educator at Groundwork Coffee.
    Recording Available Here.

3. Talks 3 & 4 Coming Soon!