1. 72 Hour Arts Festival
2. Aerial Balloon Photography
3. Autumn 2012 Comedy Festival
4. Big Ideas With Thought Leaders
5. Community Prom
6. Engineering Wonder
7. Giant Chessboard Extravaganza
8. Graffiti Festival
9. Greeks Go Green
10. Guinness World Record Barefoot Race
11. Kindergarten on the Quad
12. Late Night Taco Truck/Horchateria
13. Light Up October
14. Marauder's Map
15. MouseHouse
16. Poems to Chew On
17. Public Beats and Jams
18. ReelProduce
19. reGRADlity
20. Sky Lanterns on Midway on World Wish Day
21. Soundbites
22. South Side Science Scholars
23. Speakeasy for Change: Combatting Sex Trafficking in Cambodia
24. Spreading the Seeds of Peace
25. STEP UP Conference
26. Student v. Faculty Quizbowl
27. Summer Mini-MBA Program
28. Take the Lede
29. Tangible Ideas
30. The Chicago Youth Philanthropy Group
31. The Kodak Project
32. The World's Longest Churro
33. Tie-Dye Booth
34. UChicago Student-Run Television
35. University of Chicago Solar Car
36. Visualization Lab
37. Weekend Acupressure Therapy Workshop
38. Yarn Bombing

Our decisions were highly influenced by the results of the online poll, where much special attention was given to the more highly voted projects. However, voting considerations did not replace the required merits of one's project plans & organization and their required compliance to University policies (see all 2nd round application submissions here). Below is a description of the projects that, after much deliberation, we felt were the most sound, Uncommon ideas that we could foresee happening on our campus within the next year! 



You, too can become a part of the Uncommon Fund board! Members of the Board publicize, set up, and engage in the entire application review process and follow-up. While the time investment during your Winter Quarter can fluctuate between 2 to 16 hours a week, board members make a significant impact in selecting the most sound, Uncommon student life projects of the academic year. The board looks for highly dedicated, detail-oriented, objective, and analytical students who are passionately engaged in student life at the University of Chicago. If you're interested, be prepared to read and compare over a hundred applications, synthesize your opinions on each one of them, and deliver your thoughts effectively across a committee of decision makers.

Applications for the Uncommon Fund Student Committee as well as other student funding committees open every Mid-Autumn of the upcoming school year on the Student Committees Page on http://committees.uchicago.edu/. Both Undergraduate and Graduate UChicago students can apply. 





Apply next year! Applications for the 2013 Uncommon Fund open during early Winter Quarter 2013 (January/February). For questions, email uncommonfund@gmail.com!

The 72 Hour Art Festival, is like the other X-hour festivals on campus, and meant to offer a fully-immersive drop-in hands-on messy introduction to the arts for ALL of the University. This will be hosted in Logan Arts, the weekend after the Arts Apocalypse, working closely with Logan staff and MFA candidates, collaborating with arts majors and enthusiasts to host workshops in a variety of things from clay, paper mache, and leather-working to painting, silk dye and installations. It will  have many workshops for the casual artist, a 8 ft x 5 ft giant group painting, food/refreshments and music for all, as well as a gallery contest and exhibition for those interested. 

Team: Angela Wang, Michelle Bentsman, David Nasca, Eric Guo, Eddie Menedez

Happening by: Fall 2012

We hope to capture photographs of space and the UChicago campus by launching a small camera into the air with a weather balloon. Our low-altitude flights will be tethered to the ground and capture images of the U of C campus, whereas our high-altitude flights will be untethered and will capture images of the earth from high in the atmosphere. After the project is over we will hold a joint exhibition with The Kodak Project.

Team: Jamie Manley, Alex Kolchinski, Kevin Schwarzwald, Dhruv Kedar

Happening by: June 2012

This Autumn Quarter, at the Logan Arts Center, UChicago’s own Off-Off Campus would like to organize and host a COMEDY FESTIVAL. This Comedy Fest will take place all day on the Saturday of 9th week in the Performance Hall at Logan Center. During the day, some of the events will include an all-afternoon symposium with lectures on comedy and topics surrounding from professors of various disciplines, a showcase of invited student groups from other universities in the evening, culminating in a major event later in the evening: a show by Chicago’s favorite comedy duo TJ and Dave. 

Team: Off-Off Campus

Happening by: Winter 2012

"Big Ideas with Thought-Leaders" (BITs) has the goal of providing a seminar series which engages professors from all across University of Chicago in intimate Socratic-style, provocative discussions with students.  The University of Chicago has many of the world’s brilliant academicians, theorists, leaders, and researchers.  By bringing together these professors and students in hour-long seminar discussions focused on challenging, academic topics, “Big Ideas” hopes to cultivate in students interdisciplinary thought and dialogue, holistic perspectives on a variety of topics, potential research interests, and networking with these faculty. 

Team: Manas Migam, David Goese, Ashoke Khanwalker, Joanna Perdomo

Happening by: October 31 2012

Southside Solidarity Network's general objective is to bring together students and community members in socially and politically active spaces to work together for social justice. A social event hosted by the University of Chicago with the express purpose to bring community members into our space would build bridges and foster relationships between students and active community members. We deeply believe that "the most radical thing we can do is introduce people to one another."

Team: Nick Shatan, Olivia Woollam, Lilly Lerer

Happening by: December 2 2012

It’s the Quad transformed into a centerpiece of fire and music.  It’s the University enveloped in a moment of spectacle.  It’s the Community becoming a celebration of public art and engagement.

Team: Redmoon Theatre, Linda S Levin

Happening by: June 1 2012

We'd like to liken UChicago more to Hogwarts by bringing on a Giant Chess Board, team tournament, and BBQ to campus.
The board and 3-4 ft tall pieces (to be bought online, weighted with sand) will be displayed for a week while teams of 3-6 play in daily tournament rounds on it and an individuals tournament takes place on regular boards. The week ends with a free social BBQ/picnic for all, themed and including other entertainment, with the top 2 pairs of teams and individuals facing off.

Team: Angela Wang, Eamon Hartnett, Mike Mei, Adam Przybyl

Happening by: June 11 2012

Our vision is a campus-wide Graffiti Festival right on the quads. We would erect our own temporary permission wall ( a circumscribed wall space designated for graffiti writing)  and provide spray paint, live music, and food. We would bring a Chicago graffiti artist to coach us, and leave our p-wall up on the quad for a week afterward with permanent markers attached to keep the dialogue alive.

Team: Beats and Pieces; Michelle Bentsman, Thomas George, Noah Wasserman, Eric Guo, Jade Goodwin-Carter, Liz Bedi

Happening by: June 9 2012

Greeks Go Green provides an easy way for fraternities on campus to recycle their large amounts of recyclable waste. We hope to provide bins and signage to the houses as well as a central recycling dumpster on campus where fraternities can drop off their recyclables. We want subsidize the monthly cost of recycling pick-up in order to encourage and incentivize fraternity involvement.

Team: Christy Perera, Danny Rosa, Zach Felsenstein, Kai Eldredge, CJ Martino, Daniel Kraft, Mack Skarzynski, Ian Morey

Happening by: Spring 2012

We want to break the Guinness World Record for largest organized barefoot race at the University of Chicago. 

Team: Paul Wu, Jonathan Hay, Mike Bigrigg

Happening by: June 15 2012

Kindergarten on the Quad will be a one day event during finals week or reading period of Spring quarter. It will take place on the quad and in Ida Noyes. On the quad we will have bouncy castles and finger painting materials. In Ida Noyes we’ll show our favorite childhood cartoons (checked out from the Reg) and have a room set up for nap time/meditation/massages. In both areas we’ll have juice and milk & cookies. This project is intended to reduce the stress of students, bringing them back to the care-free times of kindergarten.

Team: Zach Upton-Davis, Nicholas Best, Eric Singerman

Happening by: June 10 2012

Taco Truck, till 4:30am, in Hyde Park. Plus Horchata.

Team: Hunter Owens, Peter Berkowtiz, Dexter O’Connell

Happening by: N/A (latest June 2013)

The last of the warm weather during fall quarter is known to bring an increase in criminal activity on campus. Light Up October will bring together groups of student artists and tech-savants to create a series of rotating nighttime interactive installation projects, all thematically connected by their creative use of light. This project will encourage group traffic in evenings and improve lighting on the main quadrangles, as well as showcase the creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration of our student body.

Team: Claire Zhou, Lyndsey McKenna, Maggie Ji, Bridget Pals

Happening by: October 31 2012

The project would be the creation of an iPhone/Android/Smartphone-based application (along with a web-based equivalent) that would allow you to see where your friends are (via Facebook integration). It would also reveal various events within Hyde Park area and it would be similar to Google Latitude except specifically for the University of Chicago. Moreover, it would be a Marauder's Map - just like that in Harry Potter - tying the Hogwartsesque feel of the University with the fabled map. 

Team: Danyal Arif Sheikh

Happening by: September 30 2012

Ever heard of lab mice? At any one time, the University of Chicago keeps more than a 100k lab mice in advanced facilities that cost around $5M a year to upkeep. Researchers are always looking to reduce the costs associated with these mice. We are making an application that helps UofC researchers collaborate with each other and manage these mice.  

Team: Umar Khokhar, Han Han, Scott Powers, Andrew Kaboff

Happening by: May 14 2013

We want to install gumball machines.
Instead of a gumball, a quarter
Will buy you a poem.

Team: Nora Sandler, Brian Hoey, Philip Ehrenberg

Happening by: November 1 2012

A campus wide initiative for music lovers of all levels of skill and passion to join and celebrate through jam sessions. The organization of members including musicians and casual music players will meet weekly for collaborative playing, and remain connected through a network of musical instrument borrowing and further collaboration outside the group. This group is non-profit and centered around a love for creating music with others, an opportunity that is not open to all students currently. 

Team: Maggie Vaughn, Marshall Smith, Katherine Katzer, Justin Krivda

Happening by: April 15 2012

We would like to build an aquaponics unit from scratch. Aquaponics is an innovative technology where plants and fish form a closed, symbiotic relationship, in which the fish's waste act as nutrients for the plants and the plants filter the water for the fish.   We would like to share this technology with the University of Chicago community through the actual construction of the unit as well as provide a small, yet consistent, source of fresh produce and protein.

Team: Persephone Ma, Andrew Hong, Michael Splendore

Happening by: June 15 2012

“reGRADlity” is a reality-based series of videos that provide an innovative view into the lives of graduate students at the University of Chicago. Segments will follow different students as their day progresses from the school environment to social settings. “reGRADlity” will function as an educational and social entity, providing guidance and networking to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as disprove the misconception that graduate school is all work and no play.

Team: Mark Opal, Frank Rinaldi, Scott Laidlaw

Happening by: November 1 2012

On April.29, 2012, World Make-a-Wish Day, thousands of Sky Lanterns will be set out together. Wishes will be written on the lanterns. The event is to promote awareness of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Team: Yuting Shao, WenChen Tu, Jorge Caraballo, Angela Wang

Happening by: March 5 2012

SoundBites hopes to provide a low-commitment platform for students to lead or sit it on a wide variety of casual lectures and gain exposure to topics typically outside their academic interests or circles. Students are encouraged to talk about subjects they are passionate and knowledgeable about. The lectures will last between 5-7 minutes operating under a flexible format; they can include the use of a PowerPoint presentation, whiteboard, or other props. There will be a short Q&A session afterwards, with a more informal period to discuss the lectures.

Team: Andrew, Jessica, Chris, Hillel Wayne, Tyler, Sabina, Emily, Brian

Happening by: Spring Quarter 2012 2nd Week

Believing that human life may be enriched through the growth and dissemination of knowledge, this group is committed to developing, creating, and delivering a sustainable afterschool science curriculum to under-served Chicago grade schools, particularly those of the South Side. We aspire to positively impact children’s scientific thinking, elements of health education, communication skills, and overall school preparedness. We have recently established a functional curriculum and are currently holding weekly after school sessions for 4th graders at Sherman elementary school.

Team: Kiara Tulla, Alisha Ranadive, Brandon Lee, Chris Castaneda, Ellis Kim

Happening by: October 15 2012

With the money we receive from the Uncommon Fund, we will put on a 1920’s-themed party. This party will charge admission from the student body, and the funds generated will be put towards a larger project: building a school in rural Cambodia in partnership with American Assistance for Cambodia and Girls Be Ambitious, a program that works to combat sex trafficking in the developing world through educational empowerment. Our ultimate goal is to raise $13,000 for this final project, but money from the Uncommon Fund will enable us to fundraise and get the base of our revenue from U of C students, thus spreading awareness about this issue and engendering ownership for the Cambodian school in the student population.    

Team: Orly Farber, Olivia Myszkowski, Rayna Guo

Happening by: May 25 2013

“Spreading the Seeds of Peace” will explore the intercultural peace building process through a conference hosted by “The Elephant”  SSA’s diversity committee.  This engagement will feature Bobbie Gotchalk,  co-founder of Seeds of Peace International Camp (SOP), who will be  joined by two graduates of the camp, and Jane Risen, a Booth School Professor who is currently conducting Research on the effectiveness of the program. We are embracing The University of Chicago’s dedication to  interdisciplinary collaboration by reaching out to student groups around campus who embrace diversity and the Middle Eastern and South Asian populations that Seeds of Peace works with.  

Team: Ben Durchslag, Ryan Heath, Xuan Le, Ashley Hildred, and co-sponsors

Happening by: April 4 2012

To have conference on campus focused on women and minorities in science and technology. STEP UP stands for Science & Technology: Emerging professions, Underrepresented Professions. The event will be for students on campus and local high school students.

Team: Kunmi Sobowale, and others

Happening by: January 12 2013

Our idea is to have a Student v. Faculty Quizbowl competition in the beginning of Spring quarter. There will be two rounds where students in teams of four first compete against students, and the top scoring student team will compete against four UChicago professors. There will be free food for people watching, prizes for the winners, and a great night with professors!

Team: Cindy Wang, Steve Sun, Maryiam Saiffudin, Melissa Chanthalangsy, Jacquie Nesbitt, Ryne Weiss

Happening by: June 8 2012

We propose a Summer Mini-MBA Program for graduate students at the University of Chicago. Modeled after management and leadership programs at peer institutions, our project is designed to teach graduate students of all disciplines fundamental business concepts and practical interpersonal skills, which are not included in the University of Chicago curriculum. The coupling of the ingenuity of the University of Chicago graduate students with business knowledge and professional skills will provide us with a competitive advantage in science and business.

Team: Song Liu, Gitt Panitchayangkoon, Jie Zhou, Michael Boles, Noumaan Shamsi, Anthony Martinez, Jiayue Cui

Happening by: August 31 2012

Take the Lede is an after-school program that pairs local Chicago Public Schools students with U of C college journalists to create a community paper. This student-written content, published online and in print, would be available to the entire U of C community. Like the Woodlawn Collaborative, an initiative that began with the Uncommon Fund, this project could foster community relations, empower local students and raise awareness of local issues. 

Team: Amy Myers, Kelsey Reid, and some members of The Chicago Weekly, Maroon, and HerCampus

Happening by: December 6 2013

TEDxUChicago’s Tangible Ideas project seeks to supplement the 15 TED-like talks that will be featured on April 29th in Mandel Hall. What better way to inspire people and get them thinking and talking about ideas worth spreading than having an interactive gallery of products and prototypes, already in the midst of changing how we understand and interrelate with people and our environments.

Team: TEDxUChicago

Happening by: April 29 2012

The purpose of the Chicago Youth Philanthropy Group is to promote and coordinate philanthropic endeavors among Chicago’s high-school students. UChicago undergraduates compose a facilitating body that works with high-school student leaders from across the city to obtain funds and donate to causes the students believe are worthy. The organization believes in youth driven action and a deep interconnectivity between university students, high-school students, and the larger community of Chicago. 

Team: Will Fernandez, Joey LoCascio, Nicholas W Parker

Happening by: December 5 2012

For our project, we will distribute disposable cameras and ask each person to take a photo and then pass the camera on to anyone affiliated with the university.  When the role of film is complete, the camera will be returned to a central location. From there the film will be developed and the prints will be used in an art exhibit, showcasing the pictures taken throughout the community.  

Team: Amanya Maloba, Arlene Wang

Happening by: June 1 2012

Presently, the world’s longest churro is a paltry 77 meters long. Our project would annihilate this record and make a 100 meter long churro that would skyrocket the notoriety of the University of Chicago. Upon our triumph, we would have a festival in which we present the churro to the student body so that they may enjoy it.

Team: Fernando Castro, Andrew Rhoads, Nolan Skochdopole

Happening by: October 1 2012

A tie-dye booth, to be set up on the quad at some time in Spring quarter. We'd supply blank white t-shirts for people to personally customize, and let them dye their own clothes too. We'd be infusing a burst of color and homemade spirit back into the UChicago campus.

Team: Charles Clarke and friends

Happening by: May 26 2012

Student television programming will provide a channel devoted specifically to the University of Chicago - for students and by students. With a channel on cTV and the equipment necessary to make it happen, UChicago students will be able to produce their own shows and gain practical media skills, giving their creativity a campus-wide outlet. This programming station will also be an avenue to provide exposure for the already existing talent around the school, including special lectures, cultural shows, theater productions, sporting events and Greek life.

Team: Alex Allen, Alexander Sotiropoulos, Vicente Fernandez

Happening by: January 10 2013

We want to build a solar car to compete in the United States and internationally. Ideally, corporate sponsorship would fund our car, but they require evidence that we are serious about our project.  We are asking for funding to construct the frame of our car as our evidence.

Team: Katherine Snyder, Kevin Wang, Mark Koziel, Sarah LeBarron, Joshua Miller

Happening by: October 1 2012

The Open Visualization Lab is a multidisciplinary project to inspire the next generation of tangible media interfaces and spacial visualizations with a team built multi-touch table. A DIY touch screen table (approx. size of a 60-100" TV laid on its side) is no small undertaking, but it gives the community of 'frustrated engineers' at UChicago a powerful project to work on that would be impossible through any other avenue. The table would run student made open source software, from physics games and simulations to medical imaging and computer science visualizations, allowing it to be a hub for Open Source development here at UChicago

Team: Thanasi Athanassiadis, Paul Kaplan

Happening by: October 7 2012

My project is to teach a weekend workshop(s) on acupressure therapy for stress and pain management. Students will learn what acupressure points to hold and press to relieve various common complaints resulting from stressful life at University of Chicago. In addition, I can teach how people can integrate acupressure points into various styles of massage to make it more precise and powerful in its benefits.  

Team: Jacob Richard Thomas and members of the message/yoga class groups

Happening by: June 1 2013 (most likely Spring 2012)

Yarn bombing is the act of knitting, crocheting, or otherwise creating things out of yarn and sewing them to public items such as trees, light posts, or statues.  It will involve lots of yarn, creation time, and logistics, but it will make the campus a warmer place.  It will probably go up sometime during the coldness of winter quarter, causes no damage upon removal, and is just a fun thing to do.

Team: Rachel Markley, members of Commuknity

Happening by: April 1 2013