Awareness fair organized by the School of Communication: Students drew attention to social issues

At the Social Responsibility and Awareness Fair held on the South Campus of Istanbul Medipol University, students from the School of Communication showcased projects they had developed as part of their entrepreneurship and volunteerism courses. 

The exhibition featured more than 25 projects and included the participation of numerous institutions, organizations, and NGOs, including Beykoz Municipality, eGündem, Beykoz Theatre Academy, the Association for the Visually Impaired (GÖZDER), the Epilepsy and Life Association, IHH Search and Rescue, the Turkish Red Crescent, the Mihrimah International Student Association, Green Crescent (Yeşilay), the Social Contribution Commission of Istanbul Medipol University, the Press and Publications Office, the Disability Student Office, the Association for the Protection of Animals from Helplessness and Neglect, the Environmental Organizations Solidarity Association (CEKUD), the Association of Children Resisting Epilepsy (EDİÇO), Ahbap, the Art Psychotherapies Association, the Women at Work Association, and the Changing Steps Association.

In the B4 Garden area of the South Campus, Angel and Era, K9 search and rescue dogs from IHH Search and Rescue that actively serve in disaster zones, demonstrated their skills through a series of scenario-based exercises.

PROF. BÜYÜKASLAN: SOCIETY IS CHANGING, INDIVIDUALIZATION IS INCREASING
Speaking about the fair, Prof. Ali Büyükaslan, Dean of the School of Communication at Istanbul Medipol University, stated that the event aimed to bring the knowledge and awareness students had acquired throughout their education into real-world practice. Explaining that students developed their project ideas in collaboration with NGOs, Büyükaslan said:

“Our students learned how to assume responsibility in the face of various social issues, how to give substance to that responsibility, how to organize and collaborate with different teams, and how to generate innovative ideas. They then presented the projects they developed on these themes at this fair.” 
 

Emphasizing the historical significance of the foundation and charitable endowment tradition in Turkish culture, Büyükaslan noted that young people who are raised with a culture and belief in volunteerism become individuals with a strong sense of awareness and social responsibility.

Highlighting the importance of the fair, Büyükaslan stated:

“Our School offers courses in both ‘Volunteerism’ and ‘Entrepreneurship.’ The Volunteerism course is among those recommended by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). Society is becoming increasingly diverse and is confronting a wide range of challenges. Individualization is on the rise. Through their education, students explore questions such as, ‘How can we sustain and make one another visible through human values and compassion? How can we cope with difficulties and hardships?’ and they put this learning into practice in the field.”

ASSOC. PROF. MAVNACIOĞLU: DIGITAL ADDICTION IS OUR MAIN THEME
Assoc. Prof. Korhan Mavnacıoğlu, Project Coordinator and Vice Dean of the School of Communication, explained that while students had previously prepared graduation projects on topics such as digitalization and addiction, this year they introduced a new concept to ensure these projects could be translated into practical applications.
 

Noting that they launched the projects under the theme of social responsibility and awareness, Mavnacıoğlu said:

“More than 15 NGOs that collaborated with our students participated in the fair. These organizations worked alongside students to develop projects with tangible shared outcomes. At the same time, these projects are sustainable. We placed particular emphasis on digital addiction. In addition, the projects addressed gambling and screen addiction, environmental awareness, and recycling. We also included art therapy, because people who work under intense conditions need opportunities for rehabilitation. Art therapy is an important form of therapeutic intervention. Our students worked with experts in their respective fields.”

Drawing attention to the importance of volunteer initiatives, Mavnacıoğlu stated that a culture of volunteerism developed during the university years has a positive impact on society as a whole. He added:

“For this reason, these efforts are extremely important because we need to instill the spirit of volunteerism in young people now. When this happens, students genuinely move beyond the project itself and make meaningful contributions to society. Collective volunteer activities will also help reduce various forms of addiction.”

Mavnacıoğlu further noted that the projects, which students participated in individually and in groups, also served as their graduation assignments. He emphasized that the work developed in collaboration with NGOs had a direct and tangible impact on people’s lives.

*The photographs featured in this news article were taken by School of Communication students Mücahit Taha Sarı and Fatih Orhan.