UD’s USEED is an innovative web portal that connects alumni and community members with University of Delaware students who are working on real-world projects. Such projects have long been recognized as providing powerful, experiential learning opportunities, but their widespread adoption has been curtailed by economic constraints. In addition, alumni and community members have long wanted to enrich the academic experiences of current students, but coordinating their involvement in the classroom has been challenging.

Now, with the development of UD’s USEED, you can help to break down the walls of the traditional classroom and transform the educational experiences of University students. Simply find a project that inspires you and then determine how you would like to support it. This might include liking the project on Facebook, connecting with students on LinkedIn, providing feedback, and making a tax-deductible charitable gift toward the accomplishment of the project’s funding goal.

When you make a gift, 100% of your contribution is directed to the student project. When you support the project in other ways, you help to increase its “buzz.” Creating buzz draws attention to the project and helps students to engage additional supporters. Some of the actions that create buzz - like connecting with students on LinkedIn and leaving comments - can also enhance career prospects and improve the overall quality of the projects.