Independent Project Planning & Resources

Independent projects are a way to develop skills, explore ideas, and demonstrate accomplishments that can be completed around your schedule and designed around your unique interests and goals. An independent project can be a meaningful addition to an academic break during a gap between experiences or travel. There are almost no restrictions to developing a project – any major, career field, or class year can find project ideas and get started!

Tips on Choosing a Project

• Consider your specific interests and skills. What skills have you already developed and could leverage, maybe in a new way?
• Build toward a future goal. Consider opportunities you may be interested in pursuing in the future; what skills and experiences would set you apart as a candidate?
• Assess your time, tools, and resources available. Assess the cost of any software or supplies you would need, as well as a realistic sense of the time commitment you are able to make.
• Explore possible collaborations. More on this below!
• Brainstorm ideas with your faculty, a CLS adviser, and others. Others may have a fresh perspective, advice, or know of resources.
• Gather ideas from job descriptions, LinkedIn profiles, and current events. Is there a gap in subject or new point-of-view you could approach your work from?
• Review recent literature and research for recommendations. Many journal articles include a section on recommended future research topics.

Planning a Project

1. Identify your project.
2. Set manageable goals.
3. Map out milestones & break it down into smaller actionable steps.
4. Determine what supplies & resources you need.
5. Consider a daily or weekly structure.
6. Seek out feedback.
7. Revise & showcase. Read below for ideas on developing a portfolio and sharing your work more widely.

Consider a Collaboration

Collaborating with one or more people can add new skills and ideas to your project, provide an accountability partner, and make it more fun! It can also build durable or “soft” skills including communication, adaptability, and negotiation. Potential collaborations may include:

• Another student or peer who shares an interest or goal. Having someone to brainstorm and problem-solve with can be beneficial.
• A faculty member whose research and interests align with yours.
• A community partner who could benefit from your work. The CLS Civic Activity at Grinnell page has resources.
• Someone with a complimentary skillset. For example, an artist and a coder can partner together to design a unique app.

Resources to Support Independent Projects

• Online learning platforms. The CLS Developing Skills page lists online tools for skill development, including LinkedIn Learning and Forage which are free for current students. The Wilson Center offers a similar list of suggestions.
• Portfolio & website platforms. More information below!
• Grants & funding opportunities. The CLS supports grants including a Professional Development grant open to specific class years.
• The Wilson Center organizes and sponsors a variety of programs that encourage innovation and leadership, including the Spark Challenge, Wilson Center Catalyst idea incubator and fund, and Innovate GC Challenge.
• Industry-specific guidance. Visit the CLS Career Communities pages, and schedule a meeting with an adviser via Handshake.

Portfolios & Showcasing Projects

Showcasing the results of your project can add a rich element to your application materials, create connections with a professional network, and demonstrate your skills and experience in a unique way. Ideas and platforms for sharing your independent projects include:

• Develop a portfolio website. Grinnell College offers Sites@Grinnell, free through graduation. Additionally, online website builder sites such as WIX may have free options.
• Dedicate a social media account to your project, such as Instagram to combine visual and text elements.
• GitHub is a platform where tech & data projects can be highlighted. Your account can then be linked to your website, LinkedIn, or résumé.
• For research projects, the Grinnell College MAPs website offers “Venues for Presenting Work“
• Consider researching literary journals that publish undergraduate writing.

Consider sharing your work more widely! Host an exhibit of your work, lead a workshop to teach others what you learned, offer a presentation or Q&A, and post about your project on LinkedIn.

Ideas by Interest Area

Questions?

This resource was developed from a presentation by Destini Ross and Dani Perkins. Please reach out with any questions. You can also meet with any CLS adviser to brainstorm ideas and discuss options.