Academic Engagement

Given the many demands that CC asks of their faculty and students, C&I has been an island of recharging, new ideas, and possibilities.”  

—Amanda Minervini, Italian  

Academic engagement photoCreativity & Innovation supports faculty members across disciplines to integrate creative problem-solving and creative thinking activities into classes. Our goal is to expose students to creativity-building pedagogies across disciplinary contexts so that they develop the creative confidence that allows them to apply their creative thinking skills in new situations.

By assisting faculty in developing their creative confidence and supporting them through integrating creativity pedagogies into their classes, we aim to embed creativity more firmly as a lens that permeates the college. Creativity has always been integral to Colorado College but is not named as such across disciplines. Yet creativity is precisely what Colorado College’s faculty model for students. C&I endeavors to help faculty recognize and develop their creative practices, to draw to the surface, support, and share the richness of what happens in CC classrooms. Add well-being 

C&I’s faculty collaborations explore both the alchemy and the algebra of creativity.

Creative Thinking

Creative thinking is the alchemy of creativity -- it's a mindset, a way of approaching the world with an open and questioning mind. It is characterized by a high degree of innovation, divergent thinking, and risk-taking. Creative thinking involves cultivating the ability to bring all of who we are into any given situation: our intellects, our emotions, and our embodied selves. In the classroom, creative thinking activities within courses challenge students to develop imaginative ways of knowing, acting, and working together. 

Creative Problem-Solving

Creative Problem-Solving is the algebra of creativity. Creative problem-solving techniques provide structured ways of finding multiple creative responses to problems in various contexts. Using these techniques can help students overcome entrenched thinking patterns that may inhibit their abilities to find new, original solutions and can strengthen their abilities to identify and solve problems in unexpected ways.  
For more information, contact Kris Stanec, Director of Creativity & Innovation at kstanec@coloradocollege, or Jessica Hunter, Associate Director of Crown Center for Teaching at jhunter@coloradocollege.edu.
Report an issue - Last updated: 06/24/2024

We Offer

  • Creativity-related instructional design support.  
  • Assistance aligning existing courses with the Creative Process requirement guidelines. 
  • Developing repeatable creativity-related modules that support disciplinary content learning. 
  • Facilitating workshops and activities within the class. 
  • Providing resources, feedback, and support for faculty.