Capstone Project: Addressing Marginalization Through Campus Housing and Transportation Improvements
In my senior year of college, I conducted research on campus marginalization as part of my capstone project. I focused specifically on the growing presence of luxury student housing and its impact on lower-income students. A significant issue I uncovered was that students who couldn't afford these luxury options were often pushed to live further away from the main campus, creating a physical and socioeconomic divide.
This year, I revisited my research with the goal of narrowing the gap between lower- and higher-income students caused by luxury housing. My primary objective was to explore the challenges created by this physical displacement, particularly regarding security and transportation. I realized that improving transportation could also enhance security, as students further from campus faced longer and potentially unsafe commutes, especially at night.
To address this, I applied my expertise in UI/UX design to improve the campus transportation system. My solution focused on enhancing the real-time tracking of buses and creating alerts to notify students of bus arrival times. These improvements would reduce the time students spend waiting for buses, especially during late hours, thereby decreasing their vulnerability to potential harm. By tackling both transportation and security issues, I aimed to help bridge the gap between lower- and higher-income students, making campus life safer and more accessible for everyone.
