In Brief: Homecoming 2022, experiential learning, TENWEST returns

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'Ever Wild' – Take a look at this year's Homecoming festivities

Thousands of Wildcat alumni will return to campus for Homecoming 2022, beginning with the lighting of "A" Mountain on Oct. 27 and culminating with Arizona football taking on USC on Oct. 29.

Other traditional favorites returning this year include the Homecoming Club Olympics – three days of competitions where student teams vie for the coveted championship belt – and the Wildcat For Life Tailgate Party, featuring food, entertainment, a DJ and more.

The slate of festivities for this year's Homecoming, which has the theme "Ever Wild," includes dozens of events for families and alumni. You can see some featured events below. The full schedule is online.

• Lighting of "A" Mountain | Oct. 27, 5 p.m., MSA Annex, 267 S. Avenida del Convento
• Homecoming Bear Down Friday | Oct. 28, 6 p.m., Main Gate Square
• Bonfire and Royalty Crowning | Oct. 28, 7 p.m., west side of Old Main
• Arizona Chemistry Club Homecoming "Magic" Show | Oct. 29, 10 a.m., Henry Koffler Building, Room 204
• Maker Party at CATalyst Studios | Oct. 29, 10 a.m., Main Library
• Camp Wildcat Alumni Homecoming Tent | Oct. 29, 11 a.m., University of Arizona Mall
• Wildcat for Life Tailgate | Oct. 29, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., University of Arizona Mall
• Arizona Football vs. USC | Oct. 29, 4 p.m., Arizona Stadium

Discover spring 2023 community-engaged experiential learning opportunities

Find out about newly developed courses that incorporate experiential learning, including undergraduate research opportunities, during the Spring 2023 Experiential Learning Discovery. Faculty members, many of whom participated in previous cohorts of the Experiential Learning Design Accelerator, will present brief overviews of their courses and will be available for networking and conversation.

Experiential Learning Discovery is for students, faculty and staff, and will take place at Bear Down on Tuesday, Oct. 25, from noon-1:30 p.m. Featured courses include: Consumers, Environment, and Sustainable Consumption; Theory and Practice of Coaching; and Topics in Border Studies. Lunch options are available with registration.

Community Engagement through Experiential Learning is an initiative under Student Engagement & Career Development and is supported by the Arizona Advantage pillar of the Strategic Plan. 

This event, co-hosted by Student Engagement & Career Development and the Office of Strategic Initiatives, is part of the SP Connect event series. SP Connect events explore the creative collaborations and technical endeavors supported by the University's strategic plan and is designed to be an array of intimate discussions to spark curiosity and engagement among members of the campus community. 

Visit the online event posting for more information and to register.

Create, build, sustain: TENWEST makes its return

The TENWEST Impact Festival returns after a two-year hiatus with a five-day event beginning Nov. 1, bringing national and local experts together to address economic, social, cultural and environmental challenges through exhibitions, talks and interactive experiences.

The event is co-led by the University of Arizona Center for Innovation and Startup Tucson, a nonprofit that supports entrepreneurs.

TENWEST begins Nov. 1 with a kickoff event at the Tucson Museum of Art, followed by three days of panel presentations, workshops and speakers – some led by University of Arizona faculty members and students – at the Tucson Convention Center. The event will conclude with the first TENWEST Street Fest, featuring more than 100 local food and retail vendors, Mexican wrestling and live music on Toole Avenue in downtown Tucson.

Each of the three conference days has a theme: "Create," with presentations on topics ranging from fashion design to memes; "Build," celebrating the 25th anniversary of IdeaFunding, a pitch competition where five startup finalists will compete for $25,000 in funding; and "Sustainability," with a focus on preserving natural and human resources, from water to workforce.

The full schedule is available online.

"As a land-grant institution, we have a commitment to the surrounding communities in Southern Arizona," said Eric Smith, executive director at the University of Arizona Center for Innovation. "This is really the perfect way to get the research from the University and the students being educated in the University right in the middle of the community."

Organizers took feedback from past attendees into account when planning this year's event, said Liz Pocock, CEO of Startup Tucson and an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Education, Technology and Innovation.

"The vibe will be a lot more fluid this year," Pocock said. "People also wanted more partylike and social events, so we've added those."

One example is the addition of TENWESTx events – after-parties at the end of each themed day in venues throughout downtown Tucson.

Passes can be purchased on the TENWEST website. The kickoff event on Nov. 1 and the TENWEST Street Fest on Nov. 5 are free and open to the public.

Presentations by University faculty members are listed below.

"Home Recording Hacks: Easy Recording Tips for Musicians and Content Creators"
Bjorgvin Benediktsson, Associate Mentor-in-Residence for the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship in the Eller College of Management
Nov. 2, 10:30 a.m.

"Introduction to BUILD with Liz Pocock and Eric Smith"
Liz Pocock, CEO, Startup Tucson, and Eric Smith, Executive Director, University of Arizona Center for Innovation
Nov. 3, 10 a.m.

"Mindful Entrepreneurship"
Robyn Tosick, Associate Mentor-in-Residence for the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship in the Eller College of Management
Nov. 3, 2 p.m.

"Southern Arizona Coalition for Climate Adaptation and Resilience"
Eric Smith, Executive Director, University of Arizona Center for Innovation
Nov. 4, 10:30 a.m.

"Frenemies? Climate Change and Infrastructure"
Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, Adjunct Instructor, School of Government and Public Policy
Nov. 4, 2 p.m.

"Snap. Share. Save. How You and Your Smartphone Can Save Plants and Animals From Extinction"
Kathleen Prudic, Assistant Professor, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, and Theresa Crimmins, Research Professor, School of Natural Resources and the Environment
Nov. 4, 3 p.m.