Calling All College Students: Why Does Your Campus Matter?

If you visited a college campus recently, one thing is likely clear: times are changing – fast. The ballooning popularity of MOOCs and online courses has created a new world of education, one where learning can occur anytime, anywhere and with anyone. Despite this level of change, the physical learning environment remains more relevant to student success and workforce placement than ever before. Why?

Herman Miller, Inc., is asking full-time students attending two or four-year U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities to answer this query as part of its fifth annual Student Video Contest. Using a video camera and their imaginations, students are invited to make a Case for Space by responding to the question “Why Does Your Campus Matter?” in three minutes or less.

“With MOOCs and online learning, one could assume the role of space in education is diminishing,” said Jeff Vredevoogd, Director of Herman Miller Education. “Yet students continue to gravitate toward collaborative learning experiences that only occur on campus. This contest encourages students to highlight how the physical learning environment is helping them thrive and pursue their lifelong learning journeys.”

The Future of Learning
By answering the question “Why Does Your Campus Matter?” through Herman Miller’s Student Video Contest, students not only have an opportunity to highlight the positive impacts of their campuses’ learning environments – from collaborative classrooms to post-lecture touch points – but inform the next generation of learning space design.

“While we agree that technology and new learning methods are reshaping the learning experience, there is a clear message around the need to maintain on-campus learning spaces. These spaces clearly aren’t disappearing from the education landscape; they’re just being designed and used differently,” added Vredevoogd. “By seeing what spaces are most impactful from a student’s point-of-view, designers are able to gain a better understanding around how to create environments that not only meet today’s learning needs, but also anticipate the needs of the future.”

Lights, Camera, Education!
For students interested in participating in this year’s Student Video Contest, entries will be accepted until 5 p.m. EST on March 21, 2014. Representatives from Herman Miller will select three finalists whose submissions best represent creativity, originality, and appropriateness to the theme. A public vote will then decide the final ranking for the top three submissions. The first place winner will be awarded $2500, second place $1500, and third place $1000.

To view the contest rules and guidelines, please visit: hermanmiller.com/studentvideocontest. You can also connect with Herman Miller on Twitter (@HermanMillerEdu), Facebook, or Pinterest to catch the latest updates throughout the competition (#SVC2014).

About Herman Miller Inc.
Herman Miller’s inspiring designs, inventive technologies and strategic services help people do great things and organizations to perform at their best. The company’s award-winning products and services generated approximately $1.8 billion in revenue in fiscal 2013. A past recipient of the Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, Herman Miller designs can be found in the permanent collections of museums worldwide. Innovative business practices and a commitment to social responsibility have also helped establish Herman Miller as a recognized global leader. In 2013, Herman Miller again received the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s top rating in its annual Corporate Equality Index and was named among the 50 Best U.S. Manufacturers by Industry Week. Herman Miller is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol MLHR.

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