Bridging the Gap: A New Year!

Since we have gotten back from break, my group has been trying to find a good time to meet on a regular basis. We will have our first official meeting tomorrow to discuss plans for this semester, recap things from last semester, and work on the poster for the V.I.P Showcase. Being in V.I.P has really helped me grow in so many ways. There have been many things that have caused minor setbacks, yet we were able to reassess all issues to build a more cohesive product.  This evening, our group had dinner with Traci Ray.  Through a hearty meal and stimulating conversation, we gained a new perspective of our Vanderbilt Interest Project.  We discussed what self-discoveries we have made throughout this journey thus far.  The group came to conclusion that this project not only affords an opportunity to develop leadership and work towards a common goal, but also to foster a sense of friendship and support that is vital to college and life in general.  We are more excited than ever about the new revelations and successes to come.

"Bridging the Gap": December Blog

This semester has ended well for us. At the beginning our group struggled with formulating questions that would challenge students to honestly respond about their social interactions with one another.   We then realized that we would not have enough time to do them all. We decided to do a panel discussion. Originally we were going to hold the event in Sarratt and have it open to the public, but we experienced problems scheduling available dates.  The group ultimately agreed to have our discussion in our faculty advisor’s (Dr. Laurie Woods) sociology class.  Since our project is sociologically based, we believed that a diverse class of students would produce optimum results. Woods’ class included various groups of athletes, student groups, ethnicities, and classes.  We spoke with the class on Tuesday, November 30.  Even after much preparation, each group member was still a bit nervous about whether students would be willing to give open feedback.  We knew that their willingness to participate was imperative to our project.  Amazingly, their responses greatly exceeded our expectations.  Students later told us after class that they enjoyed the discussion thoroughly.  They stated that it opened up a dialogue that would not usually occur on campus or off campus.  Our work this semester concluded successfully.

Bridging the Gap at Vandy...now on Facebook!

Guess what time it is?!

Yes. November has arrived! Which means that the Bridging the Gap: Part I THE SURVEY is just around the corner. Our group has been busy finalizing the list of panelists, choosing the menu (You’re in for a treat!), and nailing down other last minute details. We are so excited to find out what the Vanderbilt campus thinks…which is why we have a Facebook page! If you haven’t joined, please check out Bridging the Gap at Vandy and comment on our latest discussion question!! The goal is to take from the conversation that takes place in these discussion threads, only those topics that are sure to interest you: the Vanderbilt campus. We also want to construct our panel questions around the conversation taking place among the students so that the event is rewarding and fun for everyone involved. So in addition to visiting our Facebook page (shameless plugging, I know!), make sure to come out to Bridging the Gap: Part I THE SURVEY on November 17, 2010 and 7PM!!!!! See you there!!!!

Bridging the Gap

Bridging the Gap: Under Construction

We have been busy this month, nailing down the details for our upcoming panel discussion to be held November 9th. Our panel will feature many student organizations including Greek life, VSG, Vanderbilt athletics, and more. This will be a chance for students on campus to talk about how they feel they fit into the Vanderbilt community. Also, we hope to address the interconnectedness of how students’s see their peers and themselves.

In addition, we have completed our Action Plan. Most importantly, though, we have decided on a mission statement that conveys what we plan to accomplish in a succinct sentence.

Mission Statement

The goal of Bridging the Gap is to open up dialogue among ALL students on campus about their place in the Vanderbilt community and their interactions with different groups and organizations on campus.

More to come soon! Including a Facebook page featuring stimulating conversation threads.

Be on the look out!!

Bridging the Gap

Ready, Set, Build! Bridging the Gap

My name is Annie Ameha, and I am a part of the AWESOME group, Bridging the Gap. Since we have returned to school, we have designated roles to each individual in greater detail. However, we recognize that while one person may be assigned a role, all of us will help accomplish the task as needed. And what is that task? Well ask any one of us and you’re liable to get a myriad of responses. “We’re studying how students segregate themselves.” “Our group is studying the ways in which students separate themselves and also interact between groups.” “Wait, no I thought we were studying how students within groups interact too!”


Our goal in the next few weeks is to nail down a very detailed mission statement that will help us explain our project to anyone who might ask. Moreover, all of us will be on the same page with the common goal that we’re working towards. Other things that we have done include designating Saturday afternoons as our weekly meeting time and making a PHENOMENAL collage that you can only see if you come to CC+C next Tuesday!

More to come from Bridging the Gap, so stay tuned!