Becoming the agents of change

On Feb. 14 three CMU students were recognized at a pinning ceremony for their hard work and dedication to the University Innovation Fellows program. This program is run by Stanford University which empowers university students from around the globe to become agents of change in higher education.  

Throughout their six-week training, these fellows created and implemented opportunities on campus that help their peers unlock their creative potential and develop a designed-centered mindset.  

The focus of their project is student priorities across campus. By compiling qualitive research through talking with students and faculty they were able to create a map that visualizes where there are free resources available to students across campus that can help expand their creative mindset.    

The students recognized include Jacob Kapusansky, Marketing Major with a Professional Sales Concentration; Rebecca Ridenour, Environmental Studies Major; and Leslee Weible, MS in Apparel Product Development and Merchandising Technology. 

“The University Fellows Program has given me the opportunity to meet the best people imaginable. Together we have created an open space for collaborative creative thinking, where we can share our ideas on how to improve creativity and entrepreneurship on campus. We are committed towards creating fun original ideas and cannot wait to share them with campus," said Ridenour.  

The fellowship culminates with a trip to Stanford university for a UIF meet-up where new fellows and their faculty champions come together for three days. 

Although these students hail from different colleges across the university’s campus, they were able to come together to expand the entrepreneurship ecosystem.