In 2017, technology startup Tapped Technologies partnered with BAS Software Development students at Green River College to develop a sports fan engagement platform, resulting in the business being able to pursue first-round investor funding and students being hired as software development interns. This is one of many strategic partnerships our BAS has formed with local businesses, non-profit organizations, large tech companies, neighboring colleges, and trade associations to provide students with opportunities for project- and work-based learning, while providing organizations access to local talent and the college with storytelling opportunities for program marketing. Learn how effective partnerships are formed and sustained.

1. Building an Ecosystem
of Strategic Partners
for AB Programs
March 17, 2018
Community College Baccalaureate Association
Tina Ostrander | Ken Hang | Andy Orr

2. Outline
 Speaker Intros
 Program Demographics
 The Ecosystem
 Benefits
 Challenges
 Q & A

3. Speaker Intros
 Tina Ostrander
 Instructor, Software
Development
 Ken Hang
 Program Director and Instructor,
Software Development

4. Program Demographics
 120 unique students < 4 years from launch
 40% non-white
 38% first generation
 60% financial aid eligible
 90+% student retention
 All on a virtually non-existent marketing budget!*
* Check out our Growth-Hacking AB
Programs workshop on March 18!

5. The Ecosystem
Project
Clients
Industry
Associations
Graduate
Programs
BAS in
Software
Development
Industry
Mentors
AppConnect
NW
Scholarship
Programs
Recruiting
Events
Neighboring
Colleges
Alumni
Engagement
Meetup

6. Project Clients
 Non-profit and for-profit organizations serve
as project clients
 Students gain authentic project experience
 Clients get free software!

7. Industry Mentors
 An industry professional
becomes an active
participant in the
classroom
 Commits to entire
academic quarter
 Provides mentoring,
coaching and critique
of student work

8. Alumni
Engagement
 Program alumni are
regularly invited to guest
speak
 Attend product demos
and provide feedback
 Teach as adjunct
instructors
 Become brand
ambassadors in the
workplace

9. Scholarship Programs
 Washington State Opportunity Scholarship
 Green River Foundation
 TheWashBoard.org
 Worker Retraining
 Financial Aid
 Grace Hopper

10. CTCs and Graduate Programs

11.  Web and Mobile Developer Meetup (500+ members)
 Guest speakers, career events, and student
presentations
 Professional development opportunities outside of
the classroom
 Enhances our program's web presence
 Event sponsorship and co-branding opportunities
 New student recruitment opportunities

12. Industry Associations

13. Targeted Recruiting Events

14. Benefits
 Increased visibility
 Authentic project experience
 Mentoring from industry
professionals
 A clear WHY = students more likely
to persist
 Opportunities for co-branded
marketing and storytelling
 Employers and clients have
opportunities to recruit students
into internships and jobs

15. (Very Real) Challenges
 Project-based learning is difficult to scale
 Finding clients takes time
 Challenging to grade
 Insufficient release time
 Building and maintaining relationships is a slow process
 The dominant narrative overlooks AB programs
 Educating stakeholders on campus about our Agile
model for running an AB program*
* Check out our Agile Product Team workshop at
Innovations on March 19!

16. For More Information
Landing page
https://www.greenriver.edu/software
Program blog
https://medium.com/green-river-web-mobile-developers
Meetup
https://www.meetup.com/South-King-Web-Mobile-Developers/
Online internship hub and virtual career center
http://itconnect.greenrivertech.net/
Ken Hang
khang@greenriver.edu
Tina Ostrander
tostrander@greenriver.edu
Andy Orr
aorr@greenriver.edu