1. Empathy Map for N. D., Interviewer: Teri Eastburn, Design Lab student
Age: 23 Topic: traditional college path, school to career
Drives own car. Travels. Has friends.
Busy schedule. Working.
Lives at home. Get’s along with brother and others. Has cell
phone. Curteous.
Lots of life experiences.
Values the outdoors and wants to be
outside. Bikes. Skis.
Has money and comforts. Vegan.
No gluten. Religious in an a typical religion.
Nice bike.
Do
See
Think
1 yr off between HS/college. Popular. Liked. Ski bum for
awhile. ‘ A bit lost then found native-American religion.’
Good HS student, As, Bs . ‘College - waste of time & money.’
Some identity crisis stuff in HS ‘Dropped out.’
Went to Peru. 1 yr. Frosh at Fort Lewis in Durango.
Worked where and when I could. Lost drive for school in HS.
‘Learn by living.’ ‘Parents always concerned.’ Diff’t value
system. Stuff not important. Dad not okay with path.
Mom, divorced from Dad, gets it. Brother same. ‘Not digging
CU. ‘ 6 months in Peru w/ me. ‘No girl friend now.’ Building
fences for $. Dad found job for me.Why college? ‘Not all it’s
cracked up to be. No degree for me’.
Feel
Belives his values will win the day.
Not concerned about employability. Cares about what his father thinks and tries to
do enough to eliminate his stress. Meets Dad half way but lives by his values first.
Feels a twinge of guilt around parental support and living off their dime: car, travel
Won’t return to school. Really feels it’s a waste of time and that he can live simply.
Learns best by doing but wants to set his own agenda. His friends appreciate him and
he has influenced them, even those with valuable STEM degrees.
Brother took off time from CU and followed him to Peru. He’s charismatic and definitely
has a value system that does not have the American dream in mind. Wants to stay in
Colorado. Loves Boulder but cannot afford it on his own but doesn’t care to adapt values
that are necessary to stay. Not opposed to work. Will live healthy and fun life.
College is for chumps and sheep in his view. Thinks the payments should be reversed
for what they do and offer. Not sure he’d mind a simplier life but would mind if he couldn’t
ski, bike, and have phone/car. He’ll learn by doing and will survive on charm. He just might.
Feels confident. Wise. No regrets with his life choices.
Some guilt around parental expectations, mostly Dad’s. He’s relieved his Mom accepts
and understands. A lot of friends have taken the traditional route and he
applauds their success, but he feels no need to follow that route.
Feels supported, Feels that more are following a path like his.
Feels higher ed is a sham and sells false promises. Believes
in self, feels intelligent, feels he’ll succeed in his own way, a way
that he’ll define. Doesn’t think higher ed is sustainable as it is now. Feels nothing positive
about the traditional approach, at least not for him, but feels uninformed about what’s new
in education and the changes underfoot.
NEEDS INSIGHTSSUPPORT OF OTHERS
LIVING HIS OWN VALUES
HAVING FUN AND ADVENTURE
WANTS TO LIVE HEALTHY BUT NEEDS $ TO DO SO
CAN’T DO IT ALONE BUT FEELS HIS VALUES AND LIFESTYLE ARE IN
OPPOSITON TO THE FALSE CHOICE THAT THE TRADITIONAL PATH, COLLEGE
TO CAREER, OFFERS.
PROBLEM STATEMENT: The current school to work path leaves many in-
telligent, capable, and conscientious people out of the mainstream job mar-
ket where they are unlikely to have power to help contribute to many of the
issues that are important to them.