1

HONORS SELF- DESIGNED PROPOSAL

Complete this proposal prior to your experiences start date and upload it in the UHP Database
(https://webapps.uc.edu/uchonorsstudent). Create an experience (Add a new record) in the Tracking Project
tab and upload your proposal document as an attachment. The deadline for submitting proposals is the 5th of
each month (excluding July).
Proposals are intended to be well developed plans for your experience. However, experiences are exploratory in
nature, and we are flexible with changes throughout the experience. If your experience changes after receiving
approval on your proposal, contact your honors advisor to verify the changes still satisfy the requirements of an
honors experience.

Basic Information
Full Name: Brady Kraemer
Title of Project: Pi Kappa Alpha Leadership Serving the Community
Thematic Area(s): Leadership
Expected Start Date: December 1, 2015
Expected End Date: April 1, 2016

GUIDELINES
1. Proposal submission timeline: Proposals should be submitted at least one month prior to the expected
start date of the experience. International experiences require at least two months notice. Contact your
honors advisor immediately for any exceptions.
2. Proposal length: While the quality of the proposal is most important, strong proposals are typically 3-4
pages single-spaced.
3. Proposal format: Please maintain the proposal format (e.g. headers, layout)
4. Time commitment: Experiences should consist of at least 75-90 hours of preparation, execution, and
reflection. This is approximately equivalent to the commitment of honors seminars and pre-approved
experiences.

REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

All self-designed international travel experiences require two months notice and must be at least one week in
length. You will need to provide a detailed itinerary (dates, locations and activities). If participating in
independent travel (not with UC faculty, staff or student group), you must also fill out a Worldwide: Honors
Experience application via UC International.
Additionally, the Student Travel Policy restricts UC-sponsored travel to countries under a U.S. Department of
State Travel Warning. Those who wish to visit a country with a travel warning must seek an exemption through
UC International. Students traveling without a faculty or staff leader must individually request an exemption.
We cannot allow you to count this travel as an honors experience nor can we give you a grant without an
approved exemption.

1. Abstract
Briefly describe the experience. What makes this experience personally meaningful? What goals do you have for this
experience? What is your timeline for this experience?
*If you are proposing an international experience, provide an itinerary.
**If you are developing this experience from an existing opportunity (class with a study tour, campus organization, co-op,
etc.) that is not already an honors seminar or pre-approved experience, how will you differentiate your experience from
what is already required of other students?
Initially, college overwhelmed me. I lost my sense of direction and purpose, moving from a small high
school where I was widely known to a college where I was a small fish in a large pond. Throughout my first
semester here at UC, I have met some inspirational leaders on campus that I want to emulate. These men seemed to
be everywhere; every organization or campus activity was filled with them. They were making a difference in the
community outside of the university as well by serving those in the Cincinnati area. Most of them had something in
common: they were in the social fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike). Many credited their success towards Pike
because the fraternity brothers push each other to constantly improve. I rushed Pike during the fall semester
because I wanted to find sense and direction through the extracurricular activities I involved myself in.
For this self-designed experience, I will be merging two of my passion. First, learning how to become a
leader on campus so that I may positively change the University of Cincinnati for the good. Second, serve those less
fortunate in the greater Cincinnati community. In regards to fulfilling the first part of my project, I will be
interviewing the leaders in Pike. In total, I interview 10 guys, each lasting around an hour. My goal is to select these
brothers on the extent of their leadership displayed on campus. In order to become a leader myself, I must learn
tips from those who have already achieved leadership positions on campus. From this experience, I also plan to get
more deeply involved in my community. Back at Elder, my high school, I was active in and around Price Hill,
Elders community. However, here at the University of Cincinnati, I havent been able to effectively integrate
myself into the community yet. Some of the questions I plan on asking include:

What year are you?

What is your leadership role in Pike?

Which passions drive you?

What are some of the campus organizations you are involved with?

How do you accomplish tasks set to you in these different organizations?

What are some of the off-campus organization you are involved with?

Why do you spend your time in these organizations?

How has Pike helped you get involved on campus and in the greater Cincinnati area?

What organizations would you recommend for building leadership skills?

Do you have any regrets about your years at UC, regarding your involvement?

What advice would you give to a freshman looking to get involved?

What are some of your favorite off-campus service projects?

This experience hits home with me because I encountered some difficulty in finding my place in college.
Gathering these tips will help me with my personal development and the growth of my responsibilities on campus.
Additionally, many of the members of my pledge class have expressed similar doubts in regards to their campus
activities and their campus involvements.
Although this interviewing process will be long and intensive, I believe I will be able to accomplish my
established goals. First, I hope to grow in my own leadership skills and roles. The passing down of these talents is
crucial to the continued growth of the University and Pike. Second, through this interview process, I will be
exposed to some of the lesser-known, off-campus service opportunities available to students. Plus, I will have
testimonies to those service activities that are worthwhile and those that are a waste of time.
Other pledges are encouraged to get heavily involved in campus without any real sense of how to
accomplish that goal. Therefore, this will separate me from the responsibilities of the rest of my pledge class as I
will be helping to direct others on their path to campus involvement.
My experience can shift and change as I make progress on it; therefore, I will not constrict myself to a
narrow schedule. However, some general guidelines will help me finish my project.
December 1: Campus Involvement and Service Opportunities

I plan to publicize to my Pike pledge class the dates for various campus organizations and
service activities through the creation of a Facebook page.

3
December 1-February 15: Conduct and Complete Interviews

By this date, I plan to have completed 10 interviews of various leaders in Pike.

February 15-March 1: Assemble Personal Bios

For those 10 Pikes I interviewed, I plan to produce personal bios on each of them to my pledge
class and other active members of Pike.
March 1-April 1: Guidebook

Create and publish a guidebook for freshman on navigating campus involvement and
community engagement for future Pikes.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

Brief description of the experience

Personal connection to the experience
Identified goals for the experience
Timeline from start to finish
*Itinerary (international experiences only)
**Explanation of differentiated experience
from what is required of other students

2. Experience Advisor
Identify an experience advisor and provide their contact information. Explain why you chose this person and how you
plan to utilize your advisor for this experience.
Note: Advisor(s) should have knowledge or expertise in an area related to the experience. Honors advisors, undergraduate
students, and family members cannot be experience advisors.
Matthew Yung
myung@johnsoninv.com
513-661-3100
3777 West Fork Road
Although Matthew Yung graduated before my freshman year began, his name still carries weight around
Pike. Matthew is credited with many Pike council, most recently being inducted onto the national council. All the
older leaders of Pike, admire Matthew in the way I admire them. Matthew will serve as my mentor in helping me
shape my self-designed experience. He seems the logical choice because of his lingering passion to improve Pike. I
will plan to frequently meet him at the Pike house, to share my updates with him and have him sit in on some
interviews. Additionally, I will email him my final guideline for his review. His insights can also shape how I
present the information to incoming freshman and how I relay it to my pledge class.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:
Experience advisor name and contact
information
Description of why advisor was selected

Required Revisions:

Effective:

4
Specific plans to engage with advisor

3. Connection to Learning Outcomes

List 3 learning outcomes from any thematic area(s). Provide specific activities you plan to engage in to help you make
progress towards the chosen learning outcomes. Describe how you expect each activity to help your progress. Include an
estimated time commitment for those activities.
1) Motivate and collaborate effectively with others towards completion of shared projects or goals.
(LEADERSHIP)
a. Through interviewing the leaders in Pike, I will learn how they motivate their fellow Pike brothers
towards the high standards and goals of the Alpha Xi chapter. This chapter has been one of the best
nationally, ranking in the top three of all Pike chapters countrywide. For the past seven years, Pike
has won the Smythe award, an honor bestowed upon a Pike chapter that is exceptional in many
different areas, such as service and leadership on campus. Looking at the success Pike has had, I
want to tap the minds of the leaders of the organization to get a feel for their leadership style and
their personal way of motivating their brothers.
b. This object will help me focus on my overarching goal, to pass this valuable information down onto
younger classes of Pikes. Through making a guidebook to leadership on campus and in the
community, the pledges who come after me can reap huge benefits.
c. Estimated Time Commitment: 25 Hours
2) Identify personal strengths and areas of growth and evaluate opportunities to maximize skills and abilities.
(LEADERSHIP)
a. All these Pike leaders, in addition to motivating their brothers, have self-actualized to the fullest of
their potentials. From their younger years, they have identified areas of their character they could
improve upon and proved very successful in doing so. Also, these men always realized what
organizations and service events are the most important and would be the best use of their time and
talents.
b. For confused younger students, I believe documentaries of each of these leaders journeys through
college would be incredibly beneficial. Following their example, my pledge class could take this year
to develop themselves personally, and then be ready to confront the challenges and trials that await
them. Furthermore, these Pikes could hand down their list of most valuable organizations to get
involved in, saving the pledge class from wasting time with bad organizations.
c. Estimated Time Commitment: 25 Hours
3) Articulate the purpose of service on a social issue or public policy and how service mutually enhances
individual growth and the common good. (COMMUNITY SERVICE)
a. After my interviews are completed, I will go out into the community to serve alongside the brothers
I interviewed. After each service event, I will journal about the experience. In the journal, I will
document my personal growth and the way I benefitted the common good. Also, Ill ask the
brothers what their thoughts and feelings are regarding their individual growth and the benefit
they are giving to the common good.
b. However, this reflection is wasted unless it is shared. I plan to publish this journal to my pledge
class so they might see the numerous benefits of community service. This learning outcome will help
me promote the benefits of community service to my pledge class, galvanizing them to deepen the
amount of time they spend in service. Hopefully, my pledge brothers will see that community
service doesnt have to be a chore, it is a fun way to grow as a person and help others
simultaneously.
c. Estimated Time Commitment: 50 Hours

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:
3 learning outcomes explicitly identified
from any thematic area(s)

Required Revisions:

Effective:

5
Examples of activities and explanation of
how each will assist the progress towards
the chosen learning outcome
Estimated time commitment for each
activity

4. Academic Resources Connected to the Learning Outcomes

List 1-2 academic resources you plan to use to enhance your understanding of the learning outcomes. Explain how each
resource connects to your learning outcome(s) and helps you execute your experience. Please include the title and
author/creator for each resource.
Note: Academic resources are professional works that can be used to assist your understanding of the topic. Some
examples are books, documentaries, videos, or research journals.
First, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey will help me on my journey to gain a
deeper understanding of leadership and what makes leaders effective. This novel will give me helpful tips to
develop myself as a leader through its seven concrete habits that I can build upon throughout the semester.
Second, 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader by John C. Maxwell will enhance my understanding of
leadership as well. This novel provides 21 different traits all leaders display. I will work on perfecting a single trait
before moving onto the next one. Hopefully, I can make progress on every quality during my self-designed honors
proposal.
Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

1-2 academic resources connected to the

learning outcomes
Title and author of each resource
Description of how resources will help
make progress towards learning outcomes
and execution of experience

5. On-going Reflection
The on-going reflection should help you process the experience and progress toward your chosen learning outcomes.
Describe your method for reflecting throughout the experience. Indicate specific reflection questions/topics you plan to
use to guide your reflective process.
Note: A variety of methods can be used for on-going reflection. Some examples are videos, drawings, blogs, songs, and
journals. Reflection topics to consider include your ideas/insights about the experience, connection to other areas of
involvement, and your progress towards the learning outcomes.
During the experience, I will journal extensively. First, I will write down highlights from the interviews I
conduct, and will craft a personal reflection to each interview. In addition, I will document personal Then, I will
journal as I read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, keeping track of my
progress with these aspects of being a leader. Additionally, after every community service activity I attend, I will
journal about the experience, and the feelings I had during it.
Reflection Questions-Community Service:
What did I do for the organization?
What was the most fulfilling part of the day?
How have I grown in awareness or understanding of the plight of some members of the community?

6
How have I positively impacted the life of just one person today?
Did I gain any insights about myself through this experience?

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

Method for ongoing reflection

Reflection questions/topics clearly
specified

6. Sharing Your Learning

Describe how you plan to actively share what youve taken away from this experience with a targeted audience. Explain
why you chose this specific audience.
Note: While social media can be an effective platform for sharing, only posting on your personal learning portfolio or
social media account(s) does not reach a targeted audience.
My target audience from this self-designed honors experience will be my Pike pledge class and myself. With the
objective of capturing what makes leaders tick, the new members should be exposed to and learn from the past
experiences of those who ran the Fraternity before us. The only way to better the Fraternity is not only to continue
to attract the best recruits possible, but also teach them how to lead and expose them to an environment of
competitive leadership. The 43 new members would all benefit from seeing how community service and
involvement on campus leads to the betterment of the individual and the skills required of him to be a leader in
Pike. I could share my insights with my class in two ways. First, I will share my journal by establishing a Google
Doc and uploading my journal entries there. Second, I will video tape all of my interviews and post them on the
Pledge Class Facebook page. Additionally, I could encourage the members of my pledge class to get involved oncampus and in service along with me. Hopefully, all of us will become better men from exposure to these resources.

Advisor Feedback
Must Include:

Required Revisions:

Effective:

At least one method to actively share takeaways/learning from the experience

A specific audience and why the audience
was selected

7. Budget (if applicable)

Provide an itemized budget and indicate your source for cost information.
*If you are engaged in an unpaid internship or research, please indicate the number of weeks and hours per week you
plan to participate.

I do not require a budget for this honors experience.

However, I will spend five months interviewing brothers, performing community service, and
compiling a guide to incoming Pikes in regards to getting actively involved on-campus and in
the community.
o Estimated hours: 100

7
Advisor Feedback
Notes:
Detailed budget of expenditures with
sources to justify budget estimates
*Indicates the number of hours per week
and number of weeks of participation

Required Revisions:

Effective:

8
THEMATIC AREA LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning Outcomes for the Community Engagement Thematic Area:
By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Identify and differentiate multiple ways to contribute towards the development or

achievement of the communitys goals.
Develop a thorough understanding of the world view, beliefs, experiences, selfconsciousness, or history of community members through collaboration.
Articulate the purpose of service on a social issue or public policy and how service
mutually enhances individual growth and the common good.
Explain how education, advocacy, mobilization, or public policy can influence social
issues and transform communities.

Learning Outcomes for the Creativity Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Discover new techniques to gain knowledge, consider options, make new connections,
and ask questions.
Explore a new creative competency/medium or seek new ways to engage an existing
competency/medium.
Understand and optimize the use of people, technology, physical resources or community
in a creative process.
Articulate the broader significance of a creative project and the value of its contributions.

Learning Outcomes for the Global Studies Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Develop practical travel skills that promote safe, stimulating, and productive travel
throughout your life.
Summarize the interconnectedness of geography, history, cultural traits and world issues.
Articulate the interdependence of professional fields to address current and impending
global issues such as technology, the environment, human rights, or politics.
Demonstrate an understanding of cultural diversity by acknowledging the impact of their
own identity and the experience of social norms, customs, or beliefs that are different
from their own.
Demonstrate a sense of empathy, respect, and appreciation for others to build meaningful
cross-cultural collaborations toward mutual growth and prosperity.

Learning Outcomes for the Leadership Thematic Area:

By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Formulate and manage a shared vision and develop goals towards its achievement.
Motivate and collaborate effectively with others towards completion of shared projects or
goals.
Develop strategies to identify and respond to challenges and obstacles.
Identify personal strengths and areas of growth and evaluate opportunities to maximize
skills and abilities.
Synthesize the current trends related to a specific issue or field and evaluate how
thought-leaders are currently addressing them.

Learning Outcomes for the Research Thematic Area:

9
By engaging in this thematic area, you will make progress towards learning how to

Demonstrate the ability to locate, interpret, and critically evaluate primary sources
appropriate to field.
Identify and apply appropriate methods to collect and organize data for analysis.
Analyze and interpret the meaning of results.
Produce dissemination appropriate to the field in order to share the results or impact
of the research.
Articulate the broader significance of the research project and its relationship to other
fields, research and ideas.