My perspective: HATCH Edu – Elke

The first time I attended HATCH I had no idea the impact it would have on my life, personally or professionally. I went into it much like a work trip—business cards, a smile plastered on and my pitch ready.

I was woefully underprepared—I didn’t need to bring my speech. I needed to bring my truth. I needed to bring my willingness to believe I had a value outside of my industry. I needed to think bigger—about my business, my network and my own potential.

I have often struggled to define HATCH’s importance—is it the people? Is it the experience?

HATCH Edu MSU crystalized HATCH for me. At that point I saw clearly that HATCH was more than a group of people or a collection of amazing speeches. It is more than a network. HATCH is a prism. The people (us) bring the light. We shine what we have, when we can. HATCH breaks and bends and changes that light into spectacular spectrum.

I wasn’t sure how it would work—students, professors, HATCHers. Could we make it magic? Could we make it important? Could we make it HATCH?

The answer is YES. And then some.

The challenge was to imagine the school of the future—each team was comprised of a HATCHer, a university professor, a graphic designer and some students.

The students were amazing– I couldn’t decide if I wanted to adopt them, hire them or quit my job and go to work for them.

I am adopting this one for sure.

The workday was compressed and broken up strategically with talks from the HATCHers as perspective shifters—thus bringing one of the key elements of HATCH to the event.

Make a plan, start to implement, get inspired, change, and go bigger. Repeat until you explode. In a good way.

The process was exhausting and inspiring and a massive undertaking—the products at the end were mind-blowing.

Like this (yes– planned and presented in the same day)

This model is an actionable way to bring HATCH to the larger world– other schools, corporations, events. Suddenly we have a way to shine our prism in a way that is useful, tangible, important.

At the end of the day it was goosebumps. It was inspiring. It was productive and challenging and moved the needle. It was HATCH.