The 4D Experience is compelling theory. Zainab Alikhan and Cole Young prove it’s even better in practice!
Without DU’s 2,500+ student employees, the University simply couldn’t function – that’s how important their role is and how much DU benefits from their efforts. It’s a win for the students, as well – earning income to help offset living costs and gaining invaluable professional development experience. In recognition of these student workers’ outstanding contributions and achievements, DU’s Career and Professional Development Office (CPD) and Office of Student Employment annually coordinate a selection process to choose the undergraduate and graduate Student Employees of the Year. This year, individuals from units across campus —including CPD, Human Resources and Inclusive Community, Financial Aid, Center for World Languages & Cultures, and Marketing Communications – as well as students from Daniels College of Business, College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, and the Graduate School of Professional Psychology chose the winners according to criteria established by NSEA, the National Student Employment Association.
Of those more than 2500 student employees, 76 outstanding candidates were nominated, so Zainab Alikhan’s and Cole Young’s ultimate selection clearly defines them as exceptional. Zainab, a fourth-year student studying Biochemistry in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, serves as Vice President of the Neurodiversity Resource Group on campus and previously worked for Scribe America and as a Thrive Peer Educator. Since the summer after her junior year, she’s also worked for the DU Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Program and is currently a Resident Assistant for Housing and Residential Education. Zainab was nominated for the award by her supervisor, Jackalynn Mayfield, who writes, “Zainab is able to hold complex feelings related to the injustice she and her residents have faced, while also recognizing who is advocating for change. She stands up for those who don’t have the capacity to voice their concerns, is always kind, and will spend hours listening and validating others.”
Cole Young, Graduate Student Employee of the Year, is an MSW student who will also be pursuing an MA in International Human Rights at Korbel. He has four years of global experience in project and program development and implementation, community-based participatory research, grant writing, and capacity building training facilitation related to health, rights, and advocacy. Grounded in social justice and human rights values, Cole has worked for the Asia Pacific Transgender Network, is currently doing his MSW internship at Lutheran Family Services Refugee & Asylee Program, and he is also currently a Research Assistant at DU’s Butler Institute for Families. He was nominated by his Butler Institute supervisor, Milan Tvardek, who notes that, “Cole has taken on increasingly challenging tasks throughout his time at Butler that normally would not be expected of a work study. He has been praised by staff for quickly completing tasks with stellar accuracy and his effective and punctual communication. Without his assistance, we would not have been able to meet project deadlines without impacting the work-life balance of other team members.”
While Zainab’s and Cole’s backgrounds and performance as student workers make them deservedly stand out, their experience at DU is in many ways similar to DU students in general, thanks to the 4D Experience. Unlike most other university educations, DU’s 4D approach goes beyond academics alone to encompass four different dimensions of learning – intellectual growth and curiosity, careers and purpose, wellbeing, and character and values. Through mentorship and opportunities to connect in-classroom learning with out-of-classroom experiences, DU students learn not only how to rise to the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world but thrive in new and fluid environments.
Importantly, the 4D Experience helps ensure that DU students understand the importance of knowledge and its application – that’s the essence of higher education – but goes well beyond that to developing skills to pursue careers and lives of meaning and purpose; live, work, and collaborate across differences in background, experiences, and perspective; and know how and why to seek social, emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial wellness.
Providing the 4D Experience to every student is obviously resource intensive, requiring faculty support, mentors, advisors, program specialists, involved alumni, and much else – including much more 1:1 and small group activity than is typical at a major research university. Yet when DU can demonstrate the success of its 2400 student employees, and award winners Zainab Alikhan and Cole Young in particular, 4D is a theory not only proven in practice but worth every penny of investment.