TYL Class 12: Instructor Choice/Guest Speakers
CLASS OVERVIEW
Learning Objectives:
Objectives for class determined by instructor and needs of their specific class
If instructor chooses to add Everyday Changemaking activity:
o Practice everyday acts of changemaking
o Recognize how one can be a changemaker in smaller, day-to-day ways (in addition to
long-term career planning)
Time Topic / Description Materials for Students Instructor Materials
Outline TBD by instructor
determined
by instructor
TOTAL: 105 Mins
FACILITATOR NOTES
As new concepts are presented, be sure to tie course material to...
The part of the DT process you are connecting speaker(s) to
Mid-semester feedback and how this class is intended to address those lingering questions
Student Pre-work
TBD by instructor (if you choose to do Everyday Changemaking, assign some readings from this
list, or others)
If you are doing a session related to budgeting/financials, send some pre-readings for students, or
have them complete a budget before class
o Optional reading on quality of life vs financial security
Instructor Preparation
Prepare this class ahead of time! it is up to you to choose how you want to use this time.
Be sure to:
o Update the PowerPoint for this class with any pertaining info.
o If relevant, add an additional homework assignment on Canvas to prep students for the
speaker/topic
o Email students before class with any relevant reminders
Options: This entire class can be guest speakers, or you can choose to spend part of class doing
different activities below (or choose you own!) Use ideas/questions that came up from the mid-
semester feedback capture grid or that you will particularly compelled to teach
Ideas include inviting guest(s) to class:
o Recent alumni to speak about life immediately after Tulane
o Someone with a non-traditional job
o Inviting student changemaker(s) to come to class
Consider inviting student(s) who won Taylor “changemaker” awards- this could
inspire other students to do the same. Based off of interest areas in your class,
feel free to reach out to any award winner on this list (see “CCA” and “Alvarez”
tabs. Note: award winners are expected to come speak in a class, so don’t hesitate
to reach out!)
o Provide an opportunity for students to connect with professionals (have 5 students each
bring in somebody they admire on campus- host a panel or have students “choose” their
own adventure to speak with 2-3 people who most interest them during class, then debrief
all together at the end)
o A guest to talk about graduate school preparation
Other ideas include:
o Class on financials (contact TYL Instructor Sarah Andert for details:
sandert1@[Link])
Students really enjoyed putting together budget post graduation and considering
annual cost of different items (hulu, netflix, spotify, etc.).
Connected to salary conversation to help them gauge how much salary they
really need. asked them to cut budget in half and see if they can do it.
Traditional advice is to save 15-20% of income to retire and have passive
income at 60. If you save 40-45% have a lot more freedom now to build
on course of career (this is where their attention was lost).
Biggest part of budget is housing and transportation (not "don't buy a
latte!"). Focused on helping students cut out big costs (rent) as well.
o Salary and Research (contact TYL Instructor Wendy LeBlanc for details:
wleblanc@[Link])
Infused financial pieces with salary and research
Introduced concept of salary and different ways to budget.
Before class, students had to submit an actual budget and look at target salary,
cost of living (look at actual housing prices in that city), what their parents are
paying that they would need to pay for as an adult (car, cell phone, etc.)
Discussed actual entry level salaries (students expected entry level salaries to be
much higher than they are)
o Epic Failure Competition (contact TYL Director Julia Lang for details: jlang@[Link]
This class was a HUGE hit. It is best for classes held during daylight so students
can go out and try to fail without being creepy to other students.
Students go out in teams to try to fail as much as possible and are stunned (a)
how hard it is to fail/how much you can do if you just ask and (b) for those that
do fail, it isn’t that bad and gets easier as you go! If you don’t try, you fail by
default
Based on Scott Sherman’s Transformative Action Institute activity
Slides here (from Taylor Your Tulane- see slides in the middle about “Epic
Failure” game and be sure to adapt for your class)
See the original activity here (pg 173)
o Interviewing, the Job search, and budgeting (contact TYL Instructor Geneva Torrence for
details: gtorrenc@[Link])
Host an open conversation about questions related to search and interviewing
Use feedback from other students to give advice to their peers.
Budget: Give students the below scenario:
Maria has an entry-level job at a large tech company. Her take-home pay
is $2,400 per month. She pays $500 per month in debt payments, and her
total debt is $10,000. She works in a different city from her parents, so
she’s going to need to pay rent. She loves going to fitness classes and the
theater, and she considers herself a food enthusiast who likes gourmet
cooking and restaurant dining. She would like to eliminate her student
loan and credit card debt as quickly as possible. Create a budget for
Maria that reflects her priorities.
Based on where she lives, find an actual apartment, build out her budget.
Half-way through activity, "life happens" each group has a different
scenario (she is in a wedding/has to save money for travel and dress; she
is inured; something happens to her car, etc.). Students have to redirect-
is she saving enough?
Test it out with a structured example and then apply to themselves. Then
do research on areas where they may want to live.
o Graduate School (contact TYL Instructor Shaina Spector for details:
sspector@[Link])
Using DT to make decisions about grad school and general tips/what schools are
looking for, how to decide to go/not go
NOLA is a great place to prototype because there are so many schools here- can
prototype/sit in on classes, talk to admissions folks, etc.
Have students reflect on how they made the decision to come to TU and how
they could have used DT mindsets then and how it could be applied now.
Consider HW ahead of time to make most use of session.
Showed video from Dr. Lory Santos happiness course at Yale - mental health
issues at college; students taught to value the wrong things that do not bring you
happiness. What does bring you happiness is doing things for others, human
interaction; over 75K, $$ does not bring more happiness. we are teaching
students the wrong things. TYL is a foil to this- focus on values!
[Link]
o Everyday Changemaking (resources in this folder). Suggested outline:
10 mins introduction
35 mins Changemaking Challenge
10 mins debrief
o 6 hats Design Thinking activity
This is a group feedback activity, similar to Design Team wisdom- identify a
few students who are struggling/want feedback for next steps in their life design
Divide class into groups of 7 and hand out slips of paper so everyone knows what
“hat” or role they are playing
“client” share issue and group discussion follows with everyone following the
perspective assigned to them (see link above for more info)
o Energy Mapping and Wellness
Host a session on using the DT framing to think about applying these mindsets to
other areas of life, such as health/wellness. If you do this, refer to “Life Design
Assessment” pgs 14-27 in Designing Your Life
o Implicit bias training: How bias can present itself in the interview process. Add some
readings/activities/guest speakers around how this plays out in life design interviews,
networking, how we tend to group/connect with like-minded/like-looking people
o Professional communications: Professional email etiquette
o Situational leadership: How you can “taylor” your leadership style to meet needs of those
around you. Contact Julia Lang for resources around this
o Re-connecting with anything that resonated with your class up to this point- what do you
want to go back and revisit? Habits? Iterating Odyssey Plans (have them make 3
completely different ones), changemaking, etc.
Other ideas? Did you try something else that was a hit? Email Julia so she can add that topic to
this list
Supplies and handouts needed for class
TBD by instructor
Assessment
Class participation and engagement in discussion
Homework reviewed by professor with feedback provided
Class Outline
Introduce today’s class by reminding students of feedback they
provided in mid-semester feedback capture grids and how today’s
speaker(s) address those questions/ideas
DESIGN CHALLENGE
Submit notes from final Life Design Interview (3 total throughout
the entire course). At least two of these interviews should be from
people outside of your network (found through LinkedIn, Tulane
Connect, or a contact through a friend, parent, teacher, etc.
Upload a photo of your notes and main takeaways.
See full directions in Life Design Interviews Assignment.
Students can do up to 2 more for extra credit
OPTIONAL NEXT STEP: Do you want support TAYLORing your life post TYL? Sign on to
TulaneConnect, select the person you are interested in and hit "request mentorship"
