Oxford study abroad students have worked to better understand societal issues in Oxford through their Design Thinking and Innovation honors colloquium.

The course taught by Dr. Trey Shirley, the associate dean of the Honors College, is an opportunity for students to practice design thinking by observing the environment around them and how they could work to resolve social justice or environmental issues in a global context.

“The heart of the class is really to help students move beyond the tourist experience, and to really get to know what it is to be part of the Oxford community,” Shirley said. “To get to know the people, to get to know the systems, and to get to know the challenges that people in Oxford face.”

Within the class, three groups of students have each decided to focus on a different aspect of Oxford. The groups are looking at elderly care, expanding community center demographics, and accessibility for students who may be wheelchair users.

The group focusing on accessibility for wheelchair users has specifically focused on how the ACU house might become more accessible for future students, said Kate Born, a sophomore finance major from Grapevine.

“I definitely didn’t realize how hard it was for people in wheelchairs to get around,” Born said. “I think we just kind of take it for granted. It’s sad that people may not get the opportunity to study abroad because of something like that, it’d be cool to at least make the house more accessible for ACU students in wheelchairs.”

Once the students are done researching their topics they will make a presentation detailing possible solutions.

“Ultimately, the goal is that they would feel empowered at the end of this to use the methods that are taught to tackle whatever big or small problems they’re dealing with in their own lives,” Shirley said. “My hope is that in doing this, students will feel more capable or more like that they have the basic method or system to be able to tackle whatever those issues are using creativity.”