Faculty/Staff Sponsor Information:

  • All Kick-Start applications require a faculty or staff member sponsor. The role of the sponsor is to make sure the idea or project can be completed, and to provide the student with guidance during their project.
  • You can be as involved as you want in the students’ Kick-Start project. At a minimum, we are asking that you:
    • Review the requirements of a Kick-Start project.
    • Verify that you have reviewed the student’s application.
    • Agree/disagree that it is an idea grounded in reality, can be completed in four months and is worth pursuing by the student.
    • Meet with the student at least four times over the course of their project – one during planning, twice during execution (sign the Check-in Report) and one in preparation for the final presentation of the project. The sponsor is able to set up as many check-ins and meetings as they feel is required for the project with a minimum of four times.
  • The student must identify their project sponsor when they complete the online application.
  • Any faculty or staff member can sponsor a Kick-Start. The sponsor should have some experience or understanding of the type of project they are sponsoring to effectively guide the student during the project.
  • It is OK if the project fails. Failure is a part of the creation process. The important thing is that the student learns from these failures to better prepare for their next project. Your student will still be required to complete all the responsibilities of the Kick-Start – like regular updates and a presentation about what went wrong and how it could be fixed.
  • Students do not receive academic credit for participating in Kick-Start. You are not expected to grade the students or meet with the student(s) each week. We do ask that you meet at least four times during the semester.
  • You can sponsor as many Kick-Start students as you would like.
  • That presentation in April officially marks the end of your Kick-Start sponsorship. Of course you’re welcome to continue working on the project, but you’ll have no other responsibilities to the Kick-Start program.
  • If your student does not complete the requirements as outlined in this document, if they leave the project or the University, or in the unlikely event they are asked to leave the project, the student must return ALL materials and tools to the Creative Space within three business days. The student may be held accountable for any missing funds in the account and equipment and they will not be allowed to receive Kick-Start in the future. You, the Kick-Start sponsor, will NOT be held accountable for any missing funds.