About Us
Guided by our mission, vision, and values, we strive to share opportunity and bring innovation to poor and marginalized communities.
The BlueBox
The BlueBox is a small digital library containing preloaded educational material to facilitate education in the most remote areas of the world. Even without Internet, the material on the BlueBox is free and accessible to any device that connects to the BlueBox hotspot. Using either a wireless or a wired connection, communities, teachers, and students can connect to the BlueBox and view the materials in any installed web browser on their device. A solar version of the BlueBox can also be deployed in areas without electricity. The BlueBox is a Raspberry Pi-based system that contains educational resources including open-source textbooks, Khan Academy videos (tutorial videos in math, science, and many other subjects), Wikipedia for Education, Project Gutenburg (thousands of books), OER2Go materials from World Possible (educational games, reading, music, and much more), the learning management system Moodle (locally designed online courses and training), and more.
Vision, Mission, and Values
Vision
To create educational opportunity for all with the assistance of local partnerships through innovative technology.
Mission
To assist local partners in education through delivering innovative educational technology in a creative, sustainable, and affordable manner.
Values
To teach others, share gifts, pursue justice, and show concern for the poor and marginalized in the world through the dissemination of affordable educational resources.
History
In 2015, Charles Braymen, associate professor of Economics and Finance at Creighton University, sought to fulfill a need for both greater access to educational materials and mobile device charging in parts of developing countries. After finding open-source educational resources from World Possible, Braymen worked to find ways to deliver these effectively and sustainably to different parts of the world.
The original educational resources were stored on an image that had to be installed onto a computer. As this required electricity, it was not a sustainable or reliable option. Therefore, Braymen initially conceived a solution to this problem with the idea of storing educational resources on a Raspberry Pi. He then developed the first BlueBox prototype in partnership with Creighton University’s RaDLab. This solar-powered box has been installed in various countries throughout the world.
Since inception, the BlueBox project has partnered with numerous organizations around the world to add and modify content according to the needs of surrounding communities. Such partnerships have led to placing BlueBoxes in refugee camps around the world with a future goal of implementing a structured language learning course.
Furthermore, a service-learning course was developed and is now offered at Creighton University. This multi-disciplinary service-learning course enables students and professors to collaborate and design the latest BlueBox technology. The course includes the deployment of BlueBoxes to various schools and churches in the Dominican Republic and training of teachers and students.
With constantly changing technology, the future of the BlueBox is unforeseeable and its opportunity and outreach is vast. The success of the BlueBox would not be possible without the many partnerships and talents of those involved.
Leadership
With a strong leadership team dedicated to furthering the vision, mission, and values of the The BlueBox Project, this project is expected to flourish and bring educational materials to students and communities around the world.
Charles Braymen
Ph.D., CFA Economics and FinanceCharles Braymen has been a professor with Creighton University since 2011 in the department of Economics and Finance at the Heider College of Business. He currently teaches classes in international economics, international financial management, and courses in the graduate of finance programs. Charles Braymen’s idea to develop a practicum for undergraduate students stemmed from his desire to embrace the diverse skills of Creighton students and create a lasting impact on the world. He emphasizes the importance of working with local partners to complement current needs and learn how to adapt the technology of the BlueBox to its environment.
Dustin Ormond
Ph.D. Business Intelligence and AnalyticsDustin Ormond has been a professor with Creighton University since 2014 in the department of Business Intelligence and Analytics at the Heider College of Business. He currently teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in the areas of database and cybersecurity. Dustin Ormond’s passion for learning and developing technology has led him to join The BlueBox Project where he immediately saw how a small contribution could enable people to receive the education they need to empower themselves and improve their society.
Lance Frazier
Ph.D. Marketing and ManagementLance Frazier is an associate professor of management in the Heider College of Business. He has been at Creighton since 2015 and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership and organizational behavior. After teaching a course to Creighton students in the Dominican Republic in the spring of 2018, he has continued to develop partnerships in an effort to further engage with communities who might benefit from business expertise. He is excited to join the practicum course and the opportunity to positively impact both students and communities in need.
Impact
The BlueBox Project has grown dramatically since its inception and will only continue to grow.
Coverage
Demand for the BlueBox has dramatically increased due to its impact on the world. We strive to educate the world and experience joy in hearing how people are impacted.
Have additional ideas?
Let Us KnowContent
The BlueBox Project continues to expand with more offerings of free educational resources from a variety of sources. We are constantly seeking additional content for the Bluebox.
Want to contribute?
Reach OutPartnering
We are always looking for more partnerships. We have partnered with schools, communities, churches, and non-governmental organizations around the world.
Interested in a partnership?
Contact UsCountries
Partnerships
Content Providers
Students Involved
Practicum in International Development
This interdisciplinary, service-learning course enables students to creatively collaborate on projects that have a tremendous impact on the world.
Service-oriented
One major underlying aspect of the practicum course is that it has a major service-learning component. Students are expected to incorporate their knowledge to serve communities throughout the world.
Collaborative
The practicum course involves many stakeholders from developers to end-users. Students learn to collaborate with peers, faculty, community leaders, school administrators, and partners across the globe.
Creative
The practicum course challenges students to enhance The BlueBox Project by proposing ideas and then self-selecting into groups to tackle these ideas. Past ideas include building a BlueBox app, creating the BlueBox website, seeking additional partnerships, adding new materials or enhancing existing materials, and creating a Moodle course.
Global
Students in the practicum course learn to support partners operating around the globe. This includes communicating with school and community leaders, training people how to use the BlueBox, examining cultural and economic conditions, and gathering and incorporating feedback, dialogue, and surveys from site visits.
Multi-disciplinary
The practicum course integrates students across multiple disciplines including business, art, and science. Students enhance their own discipline-specific knowledge through engagement with interdisciplinary teams, technology, language training, and project and environment analysis.
Fun
The nature of the practicum course requires students to connect with their peers beyond what is expected in a typical course. Through shared experiences, students develop long-lasting friendships by proposing and working on exciting ideas, traveling abroad, and playing together.
Practicum Photos
- All
- CCI
- Batey
- Campo
- Fun
- School Visits
- Setup
- Tours
- Traveling
Practicum Student Testimonials
Since fall of 2018, our students have worked on interdisiplanary teams to make the BlueBox come to life. Here are a few testimonials of their experience:
Jacob Rausch
Fall 2024 Practicum Class
Being a part of the tech team, I experienced a great sense of joy getting to witness the students use the BlueBox I had played a tangible part in creating. There was a sense of pride in knowing I had worked hard using the skills I had built during college to provide a tool that would be used by many at that school. I hope that the work I put in will help be a small element in helping other students learn and grow in their education, and they might be able to do the same someday.
Emily Jacobsen
Fall 2018 Practicum Class
Communicating and translating in the Dominican Republic challenged me to apply the Spanish skills I have been learning for many years. I discovered I am more capable of being courageous and vulnerable in making mistakes and learning from them. This course provided many opportunities for me to grow personally and intellectually.
Gage Kanzmeier
Fall 2024 Practicum Class
We traveled to a country that I was very familiar with, but I got to see it through new eyes with a fresh perspective. I got to get to know people and they helped me see new sides of a place I call home. Professionally, I learned that 18 people going 18 different ways can still band together for a common purpose, as well as hear each others' perspectives to grow in their own journeys.
Drew Moffatt
Fall 2018 Practicum Class
This practicum allowed me to apply research skills learned throughout my academic career in the real world and develop my skills further. Being a part of the process in creating an IRB form to conduct research was very unique and overall, the class was one of the most incredible experiences I have had here at Creighton.
Andrew Sherman
Fall 2018 Practicum Class
The Practicum in International Development gave me an incredible outlet to leverage my skills with technology, and apply them to my interests in international business and development. It was easily one of the most impactful experiences at Creighton - from the skills I learned, to the people I became friends with along the way.
Alyssa Gove
Fall 2024 Practicum Class
This experience has definitely set me apart in the internship recruiting process. This course gives such unique exposure to international business and service work that you won't get anywhere else, making it my favorite talking point in interviews. A week after returning from the DR, I had an internship interview where they asked me to share about a time I worked among diverse people or perspectives...and I had so many great examples from my time on trip!
Comments from Course Evaluations
| All of these instructors showed that they cared about their students and also had strong goals for the practicum, which showed how much they cared about what we were accomplishing. - Fall 2022 |
| This course is a unique course in the HCOB that provides an experience every student should have - to be an individual contributor to a class that feels like a team. The professors are excellent at working in the dynamic nature of the class. I also really enjoyed having all three professors lead the class. It's a unique experience to have multiple professors in the same room, but creates a different atmosphere that I found promoted learning - with more student : professor interactions. - Fall 2021 |
| Hands down the best course ever. Like ever. - Fall 2024 |
| This is a life-changing course. Bluebox changed my perspective on life. I left the Dominican Republic with a more holistic view of the world, of poverty, of how to make a change, and of what it means to be a student at a Jesuit institution challenged with the task of going and setting the world on fire. - Fall 2024 |
| This class has changed my life 100000% and was one of the best experiences ever. - Fall 2023 |
Practicum Sample Travel Itinerary
This is a sample itinerary of the travel component of the practicum course.
Day 1: Saturday
- Travel from Omaha to Santiago
Day 2: Sunday
- ILAC Orientation and Tour
- Mass (optional)
- Driving Tour of Santiago
- Centro Leon Museum
- Equipment Preparation
- Reflections
Day 3: Monday
- School Site Visits
- Lunch in the Campo
- Reflection
- Dinner in Santiago
- Equipment Preparation
Day 4: Tuesday
- Comedero CCI Site Visit
- Lunch in the Campo
- Reflection
Day 5: Wednesday
- Farm Visit
- Site Visit to Batay Dos and Pascal's Pantry
- Site Visit to Batey Liberdad and Ysaniola
- Reflection
Day 6: Thursday
- Sabana Rey CCI Site Visit
- Lunch in the Campo
- School Site Visit
- Reflection
Day 7: Friday
- CHOCAL Site Visit (Women's Cacao Co-op)
- Lunch at Sosua by the Sea
- Afternoon at the Beach
Day 8: Saturday
- Travel from Santiago to Omaha
News
The BlueBox Project has received international recognition. Below are a few mentions of the project in the news.