The GEM
The GEM | Growth Education Mindset
With a focus on community-centered approaches to social innovation, The GEM connects University and city, bringing the Dayton community together in the pursuit of collaborative progress by focusing on four main facets: Needs, Assets, Empathy, and Learning.
The GEM is located in The Hub at the Dayton Arcade and is led by the Institute of Applied Creativity for Transformation (IACT) at the University of Dayton, in collaboration with contributors from the Dayton community and our 2021 pilot creative council:
Adrienne Ausdenmoore, IACT UD
Anne Crecelius, Education Health Sciences UD
Bernard Jones Jr, Reviving a Village Solutions
Katy Kelly, UD Libraries
Brian LaDuca, IACT UD
Willie Morris IV, IACT UD
Mike Puckett, IACT UD
Senay Semere, State of Ohio
Needs
When community needs go unaddressed, community bonds go out the window. The GEM empowers people to respond to needs through collaboration — focusing on equitable access to everyone.
Needs
When community needs go unaddressed, community bonds go out the window. The GEM empowers people to respond to needs through collaboration — focusing on equitable access to everyone.
Assets
Dayton is a city of diverse people, talents, and resources. The GEM is a space that empowers all who participate to connect, create, and contribute their assets to their community, leading to stronger bonds and future success for the city of Dayton.
Assets
Dayton is a city of diverse people, talents, and resources. The GEM is a space that empowers all who participate to connect, create, and contribute their assets to their community, leading to stronger bonds and future success for the city of Dayton.
Empathy
So often, the most critical needs of a community get a temporary fix. Empathy-driven design is about creating sustainable solutions that are continuous and timeless, always starting with the citizens of Dayton at the center of every process.
Empathy
So often, the most critical needs of a community get a temporary fix. Empathy-driven design is about creating sustainable solutions that are continuous and timeless, always starting with the citizens of Dayton at the center of every process.
Learning
The GEM serves as an intergenerational talent pipeline where all learners can work together through projects sparked by the needs of the entire city. This pipeline operates at the intersection of skill development, mentoring, and experiential learning opportunities.
Learning
The GEM serves as an intergenerational talent pipeline where all learners can work together through projects sparked by the needs of the entire city. This pipeline operates at the intersection of skill development, mentoring, and experiential learning opportunities.
Empathize
A place to meet, and begin to observe, engage and immerse in each other’s passions and ideas.
Prototype
A place to take those common passions and ideas and continue to explore multiple solutions, while building on empathetic understanding and bringing visions to life.
Test
A place to refine prototypes with a “fail fast/fail forward” mindset, learn more about each other in the process and find unexpected outcomes.
Interested in Being a Part of The GEM?
The GEM is an asset co-op where the only requirement for membership is a willingness to contribute one’s unique set of assets. Co-ops are designed to be driven by the needs of its contributors and provide education and training so they can develop themselves, the co-op, and Dayton. We are currently seeking contributors to build our asset co-op. Click here to contact Brian LaDuca, IACT Executive Director.