Mentor
Michael Lynch, PhD
I am originally from the Philadelphia area, and I have lived throughout the United States in New Mexico, South Dakota, Kansas, and currently reside in Ohio. While I was in school, I first became interested in User Experience and User Interface design because it was at the intersection of so many different disciplines. I gravitated toward UX/UI because the field incorporates philosophies from technology, design, artistry, social psychology, sociology, marketing, communication and so much more! I have spent my career teaching in most of those areas at colleges and universities around the country. I will bring my knowledge and training from these areas to our sessions, where I will share the resources and support that you will need to jump start your design career. I am looking forward to working with you. See you in class!
Frequently Asked Questions
What web browser should I use?
The Open edX platform works best with current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari.
See our list of supported browsers for the most up-to-date information.
What hard requirements are there?
Students are required to have access to a modern laptop or desktop computer to use during each class session, which can run the current version of Apple MacOS, Microsoft Windows 10 operating systems, or an up to date Linux distribution such as Ubuntu or Fedora. All computers must have internet connectivity capability. The hardware must support an Intel, AMD, or Apple M1 processor capable of 64 bit computation. The hardware must have a minimum of 4GB (gigabytes) random access memory, and a hard disk of no less than 128 GB in size.
Examples of current versions of Windows and MacOS appear below. Windows 10, or Windows 11 Apple MacOS Mojave 10.14+
NOT SUPPORTED: CHROMEBOOKS AND CHROME OS Students cannot use Chromebooks or Chrome OS for any course. The Chromebook hardware is not compatible with many software developer tools and communication applications.
What internet requirements exist?
Students must have access to a reliable broadband internet connection. Broadband is defined as a download speed of 30mbps(megabits per second), and an upload speed of 3mbps. Connection latency must be below 50ms in order to facilitate online video communication.
What software do I need?
All laptops must be able to run the following software:
• Google Chrome version 90.0 or higher (browser) (All courses) OR
• Mozilla Firefox version 90.0 or higher (browser) (All courses)
• Windows Visual Studio Code version 1.50.0 or higher (editor) (Software)
• Node.js version 14.18.1 or higher (javaScript run-time) (Software)
• Git version 2.19.1 or higher (version control) (Software)
• Figma (UX/UI)
• A webcam- either integrated into your computer or a separate webcam (All courses)
• Headset and/or microphone to be able to speak in class (All courses)
When do I have class?
That’s the best part of your program. You have class when YOU want to have class. The only requirement is that you will need to meet with your Mentor and group once a week at a time determined by the group at your course orientation. You can also schedule 30 minutes with your Mentor once per week!
Do I have to attend Demo Day?
Students are required to participate in all Student Demo Day events as they are mandatory to receive certification. Some courses may require additional mandatory events, which dates will be sent to students in advance. Additional events are not mandatory to attend, but highly encouraged.
Do I have homework?
Don’t think about it as homework. Think about the work you do in this program as professional development. The more you put into it, the more you’ll gain from your experience. In order to receive certification, though, you must complete all assignments.
How is my success measured?
Upright Education measures student progress through participation, and in-depth projects. Students are graded on a pass/fail basis. To receive a passing grade, students must:
1. Demonstrate competency and understanding of the lessons taught through assigned work and projects. Assignments and projects are graded on the basis of completion. To receive a passing grade on an assignment or project, students must complete 100% of the minimum tasks specified in that assignment.
2. Maintain consistent attendance as outlined in the Attendance section below. A passing grade in attendance will be given to students with no more than two absences in part-time courses, and four absences in full-time courses.
3. Receive a passing grade on all course projects. Students who meet all of the course requirements at the end of their course will receive a letter of completion. Students who do not meet all of the course requirements at the end of their course will receive a letter of participation.
How am I graded?
Students are graded on the quality of their project submissions. Students are expected to complete between 3-4 projects (not including Capstone Projects) throughout the course. In addition to receiving formal and informal feedback on project submissions, course projects are graded on a scale from 0 - 4 on each of the following criteria:
• Functional
• Organization
• Readable
To receive a passing grade in the course, students must pass each project and hold an average grade of 3 or higher on the total average of their project grades by the end of the course. Students that receive an unsatisfactory grade on a project submission will have until the last day of class to remediate and improve their work.
Can I resubmit work?
Yes! All resubmissions are due by the end of class on the last day of the bootcamp. Plan to complete any work towards resubmissions outside of class hours.
Will I ever be put on probation?
Upright Education does not provide a probation option. If the student is unable to make satisfactory academic progress, they may be withdrawn from the program. Informal feedback is provided to students throughout the course.
What is the attendance policy?
With prior approval from Upright Education, students in full-time programs are permitted to miss up to 4 class meetings and students in part-time programs are permitted to miss up to 2 class meetings. A class meeting is defined as one or more hours of instruction on a given day. Any student that has failed to attend 4 class meetings without advance approval from Upright Education will be withdrawn. Please refer to the Withdrawal Policy, below. Upright Education may allow a greater number of excused absences on its discretion.
Can I "make up" work that I've missed?
Students who miss coursework due to an absence approved prior to the absence are responsible for making up missed coursework by the last day of class to receive a passing grade. In order to make up your work, you must submit an original assignment. You will not have much time in-class to complete make-up work, so plan to complete any make-up work outside of class.
What career services are available to me?
1:1 Career Coaching: Each student will get one-on-one time with a career coach for individual guidance on navigating their professional selves and honing the soft-skills that employers seek in applicants.
• Career Workshops: In addition to technical skills learning, students will have the opportunity to practice career skills such as resume building, interview prep, negotiation, and more.
• Student Portfolios: Each student will create an individual portfolio that showcases their projects, work, and skills to potential employers.
• Demo Day + Additional Events: Students will receive invitations to networking events at which they will have an opportunity to showcase their work to prospective employers, as well as invitations to additional community events. Services may vary slightly from course to course.
Can I cancel my enrollment?
1. You have the right to cancel your course of instruction, without any penalty or obligations, up to 30 days prior to the course start date.
2. Cancellation is effective when the student provides a notice of cancellation by email to the admissions or instruction faculty.
3. The notice of cancellation need not take any particular form and, however expressed, it is effective if it shows that the student no longer wishes to be bound by the Enrollment Agreement.
4. If the Enrollment Agreement is canceled, the school will refund the student any money he/she paid, less the deposit fees specified below in the Tuition and Fees chart after the notice of cancellation is received. If a student withdraws after the cancellation period, a refund will be made in accordance with the Refund Policy.
Can I withdraw from my course?
Students may withdraw from the course at any time after the Cancellation period (described above) and refunds are determined in accordance with the Refund Policy stated below. For the purpose of determining a refund under this section, a student shall be deemed to have withdrawn from a course of instruction when any of the following occurs:
1. The student notifies the institution by email of the student’s withdrawal or as of the date of the student’s withdrawal, whichever is later. The failure of a student to immediately notify a faculty member by email of the student’s intent to withdraw may delay a refund of tuition.
2. The institution terminates the student’s enrollment for failure to maintain satisfactory progress; failure to abide by the rules and regulations of the institution; absences in excess of maximum set forth by the institution; and/or failure to meet financial obligations.
The official termination date of enrollment shall be the student’s last day in class.
Students who withdraw due to an emergency, such as personal or family illness or national service, may be re-enrolled into another Upright Education course following approval by Upright Education admissions staff.
What is the refund policy?
Refunds will be less the tuition deposit fee (described in the below Tuition and Fees section) and the cost of any course materials that you have received.
A. A student who cancels no more than 30 days before the start date of the first class period receives all monies returned with the exception of the non-refundable tuition deposit fee.
B. We will provide a 50% refund for any student who cancels within the first week of the course.
C. After week one, there are no refunds.
What is Upright's Code of Conduct?
A primary goal of Upright Education is to be inclusive to the largest number of contributors, with the most varied and diverse backgrounds possible. As such, we are committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and religion (or lack thereof).
This code of conduct outlines our expectations for all those who participate in our community, as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior.
We invite all those who participate in Upright Education to help us create a safe and positive experience for everyone.
What behavior is expected of me?
Yes! All resubmissions are due by the end of class on the last day of the bootcamp. Plan to complete any work towards resubmissions outside of class hours.
What are the consequences of inapprorpiate behavior?
Unacceptable behavior from any community member, including sponsors and those with decision-making authority, will not be tolerated. Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.
If a community member engages in unacceptable behavior, the community organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, up to and including a temporary ban or permanent expulsion from the community without warning (and without refund in the case of a paid event).
How can I address any grievances?
If you feel you have been falsely or unfairly accused of violating this Code of Conduct, you should notify studentsupport@uprighted.com with a concise description of your grievance. Your grievance will be handled in accordance with our existing governing policies.
What do I do if someone is violating the code of conduct?
If you believe someone is violating the code of conduct we ask that you report it to management by emailing studentsupport@uprighted.com
All reports will be kept confidential. In some cases, we may determine that a public statement will need to be made. If that's the case, the identities of all persons involved will remain confidential unless those individuals instruct us otherwise.
If you believe anyone is in physical danger, please notify appropriate emergency services first. If you are unsure what service or agency is appropriate to contact, include this in your report and we will attempt to notify them.
In your report please include:
• Your contact info for follow-up contact.
• Names (legal, nicknames, or pseudonyms) of any individuals involved.
• If there were other witnesses besides you, please try to include them as well.
• When and where the incident occurred. Please be as specific as possible.
• Your account of what occurred.
• If there is a publicly available record (e.g. a mailing list archive or a public IRC logger) please include a link.
• Any extra context you believe existed for the incident.
• If you believe this incident is ongoing.
• Any other information you believe we should have.