New! Alumni Network

Today we are thrilled to share an exciting development that marks a significant milestone for our community. A group of early-career UIF are leading the charge in forming an alumni network to address the ongoing needs, interests, and learning opportunities of Fellows who are now in their careers. We have been working with this group since 2022, sponsoring the Connected Futures Forum convening in D.C. with alums who helped shape this effort. Our alumni are in well-placed, strategic positions throughout the globe and represent unparalleled levels of impact and opportunity. We urge you to join this initiative at an early juncture to help shape this valuable resource. See below for details and sign up for the Town Hall.

With love, 

Humera, Leticia, Catherine, Ghanashyam & Laurie.

__________________________________________________________________________

Introducing The Official UIF Alumni Network: Help Shape It’s Formation

TL;DR: Alumni assemble! A UIF Alumni Network is forming and needs your input. The initiative is independent of, but collaborative with the d.school. Our next steps over the coming months are to hear what’s happened to date, determine governance, and flesh out the initial workplan. Everything that follows is our hypothesis of what an Alumni organization would look like and do, but we need you to attend Townhall #1: What’s Happened to Date to help shape the strategy!

As we say, “Once a Fellow, always a Fellow” – so why should our passion for changemaking and connecting with kindred spirits be relegated to our university careers? It shouldn’t!

As a valued member of the UIFam, you are part of a vibrant and diverse network of professionals committed to making a difference. After years of requests from Fellows, the day has finally come: the formation of the UIF Alumni Network, dedicated to fostering impact and nurturing our network.

This collective effort has been years in the making, and is a response to the overwhelming desire of Fellows to keep the energy available and alive as you journey into the professional world.

Our Vision and Mission

The UIF Alumni Network is rooted in the belief that design has the power to transform societies and create a better future. Our mission is to:

  • Enhance Impact: Support initiatives that drive meaningful change through design.
  • Build Community: Strengthen connections among alumni and current Fellows, facilitating collaboration, mentorship, and growth.
  • Promote Learning: Offer continuous learning opportunities to keep our community at the forefront of design innovation, both in their personal and professional lives.
  • Embrace Belonging: Promote an empathy-driven world that prioritizes inclusive practices. 

Again, these are all hypotheses. Come to Townhall #1 to help shape strategy.

Join Us in This Exciting Journey

We are just getting started, and your involvement is key to the network’s success. Stay tuned for more updates, including upcoming events and opportunities to engage with The UIF Alumni Network. Here are some ways to get involved:

  • Join one of the Town Halls on February 27th or March 3rd (virtual)
  • Get involved on teams: Participate in our initial teams to help shape the network
  • Sign up to stay informed: Don’t miss out on early updates and upcoming enrollment
  • Attend upcoming events: Attend exclusive events to connect with fellow alumni and industry leaders.

Feel free to reach out to alumni@uifnetwork.org with any ideas, questions, or if you wish to play a more active role in the network. Or contact Vincent by phone, text, or WhatsApp at 516-286-0002. Alternatively, feel free to reach out to Humera by phone or text for context from the UIF Team, 413-222-5400.

We are excited to hear from you,

Vincent Arena, Jackie Curtsinger, Dominic Gelfuso, Daniel Kleinman, Mahmoud Khedr, Nariman Gathers, Caro Vassallucci, Raneem Elsayed, Rachel Tate, Forrest Satterfield, Gerrit Olbert, KC Christopher, Bre Przestrzelski, Jade Garrett, Jonathan Puhl, Kenneth Brewer, RJ Lualhati, Tommy Clifton, Omri Gal, Christian Weiss, Dinesh Chintapalli,… and many many others.

2024 Applications Open

Applications for the Fall 2024 cohort are now open! Nominate one cohort (hard limits this year) and submit your campus application by April 30th. We’re very excited to share that this cohort will also be going to Twente in Twenty Twenty Five … see what we did there 🙂 … That’s right, the 2025 meetup will once again be hosted by our wonderful colleagues at the DesignLab at the University of Twente in The Netherlands. Start your application today at https://universityinnovationfellows.org/apply/application/.

And, big news! A group of passionate Fellows have launched an Alumni Network. Get involved by joining the newsletter, attending an upcoming Town Hall, or joining a team.

Announcing the 2023 Cohort of University Innovation Fellows

Congratulations to the 242 students from 63 higher education institutions in 15 countries who have been named University Innovation Fellows this year! 

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. Fellows work to ensure that all students gain the attitudes, skills and knowledge required to navigate a complex world and build the future. 

These student leaders from schools around the globe create opportunities to help their peers build the creative confidence, agency, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to address global challenges. Fellows create student innovation spaces, start entrepreneurship organizations, facilitate experiential workshops, work with faculty and administrators to develop new courses, and much more. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders, lending the much-needed student voice to the conversations about the future of higher education.

The program is run by Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). With the addition of the new Fellows, the program has trained more than 3,100 students since its creation. 

“Higher education institutions around the world need student leaders to be involved in shaping the experience of teaching and learning,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “Students can provide an essential perspective on what learners need to succeed and thrive in the world today, and students can take the lead on making the necessary changes happen at their schools.”

“The new Fellows are designing experiences that help all students learn skills and mindsets necessary to navigate these uncertain times and to shape the future they want to see,” said Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “They are giving back to their school communities, and at the same time, they’re learning strategies around design, creativity and leadership that will help them in their careers.”

The new Fellows join the program from the following schools:

  • Aditya College of Engineering
  • Aditya College of Engineering and Technology
  • Aditya Engineering College
  • Alabama A&M University
  • Catholic University of Uruguay
  • Central Michigan University
  • Clark Atlanta University
  • Clemson University
  • Elizabeth City State University
  • Elon University
  • FH Salzburg (Salzburg University of Applied Sciences)
  • Fisk University
  • Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
  • Fordham University
  • George Fox University
  • Grand Valley State University
  • Hamburg University of Technology
  • Hong Kong Baptist University
  • Iona University
  • Jackson State University
  • Johnson C. Smith University
  • Lincoln University
  • Lingnan University
  • Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania
  • Madanapalle Institute of Technology & Science
  • Menlo College
  • Michigan Technological University
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • Mississippi Valley State University
  • Morehouse College
  • Morgan State University
  • National Institute of Development Administration
  • North Carolina Central University
  • North Dakota State University
  • Oakwood University
  • Prasad V. Potluri Siddhartha Institute of Technology
  • Rowan University
  • Sophia University
  • Spelman College
  • St. Augustine’s University
  • St. Edward’s University
  • Swarthmore College
  • Tennessee State University
  • The College of New Jersey
  • The University of Zambia
  • Tohoku University
  • Towson University
  • Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología
  • Universidad de los Andes, Chile
  • Universidad de Montevideo
  • Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas
  • Universidad Tecnológica (UTEC), UY
  • University of Cincinnati
  • University of Galway
  • University of Georgia
  • University of North Florida
  • University of Technology, Sydney
  • University of Tulsa
  • University of Twente
  • Utah Valley University
  • Vasireddy Venkatadri Institute of Technology
  • Virginia State University
  • York College of Pennsylvania

Fellows are nominated by faculty and administrators as individuals or teams of students and selected through an application process each year. Following acceptance into the program, students participate in a 6-week online training experience. During training, Fellows learn to analyze their campus ecosystems and identify opportunities for change related to innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, and creativity. They work to understand the needs of peers across disciplines and the perspectives of faculty and administrators. They apply this new knowledge and perspective to design new educational opportunities for their peers. After training, Fellows implement the projects they crafted. They continue to serve as change agents and leaders at their schools and beyond.

Faculty and administrators who guide Fellows, known as Faculty Champions, also have the ability to engage in a community of Faculty Innovation Fellows. This cohort-based program is a two-year experience that helps educators work to identify and design their own projects to make a difference at their schools. Led by a team of veteran Faculty Champions, candidates are part of a community of practice, collaborating with other faculty and staff from around the world to learn new change strategies. 

About the University Innovation Fellows program:

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. The Fellows are a global community of students leading a movement to ensure that all students gain the necessary attitudes, skills and knowledge required to compete in the economy of the future. These student leaders from schools around the country create new opportunities that help their peers develop an entrepreneurial mindset, build creative confidence, seize opportunities, define problems and address global challenges. Fellows are creating student innovation spaces, founding entrepreneurship organizations, hosting experiential events, and working with faculty and administrators to develop courses. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders and represent their schools at national events. The University Innovation Fellows is a program of Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). Learn more at universityinnovationfellows.org.

Media contact:

Laurie Moore
Communications Director
University Innovation Fellows Program
Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school)
717-982-1218
laurie@dschool.stanford.edu

Seeking 2023 University Innovation Fellows!

Applications are live for the University Innovation Fellows program 2023 training cycle! The deadline is April 30, 2023.

Process

This application is team-based; students and a faculty champion will work on one application together.

Faculty champions begin an application via our apply page and invite students to complete application materials. Each team member will have access to and be able to complete their piece of the application. Once all materials are completed, the faculty champion will submit the application on behalf of the team. Learn more on our apply page.

Next Steps

The application deadline is April 30, 2023, at midnight Eastern Time. We take several weeks to review the application materials for each school. If all requirements have been met, we will email applicants an invitation to interview in June.

Current Fellows and UIF staff conduct interviews in leadership circles (up to 4 students applying from one school). These interviews are interactive and meant to showcase you as a team, whereas the application is to get to know you individually. If you are the only student applying from your school, you will be interviewed solo. All interviews are conducted by current University Innovation Fellows or team members, and recorded for review.

Once all interviews are completed, we will be in touch about your status with the program. 

Training Dates

Fall 2023 training will take place August 28 – October 15, 2023. Orientation is one hour and will be recorded if you are unable to join due to your time zone. Students as well as faculty champions are welcome to join this orientation call. During the call, you will meet the UIF team and learn about the 6 weeks of online training.

Training will concludes with your public launch as a University Innovation Fellow.

UIF Meetup

The 2023 Fellows will get to experience something new, as our team continues to experiment with how and where we connect with all of you. The 2024 Meetup for this cohort will take place at the University of Twente in the Netherlands! Learn more on our apply page.

HBCU Funding

In February 2021, the University Innovation Fellows (UIF) program received a generous donation to fund the participation of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Students and educators at 60 HBCUs will have their program participation fees waived. Learn more here or email Humera Fasihuddin at humera@universityinnovation.org.

Apply for Fall 2023 UIF training here: universityinnovationfellows.org/apply/

For more information, please visit our frequently asked questions page universityinnovationfellows.org/apply/faqs or contact the team at applications@universityinnovation.org.

242 students named University Innovation Fellows for 2022

Congratulations to the 242 students from 66 higher education institutions in 16 countries who have been named University Innovation Fellows this year! 

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. Fellows work to ensure that all students gain the attitudes, skills and knowledge required to navigate a complex world and build the future. 

These student leaders from schools around the globe create opportunities to help their peers build the creative confidence, agency, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to address global challenges. Fellows create student innovation spaces, start entrepreneurship organizations, facilitate experiential workshops, work with faculty and administrators to develop new courses, and much more. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders, lending the much-needed student voice to the conversations about the future of higher education.

The program is run by Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). With the addition of the new Fellows, the program has trained more than 2,800 students since its creation. 

“Higher education needs student leaders engaged from the get-go,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “This group of 177 Fellows join the 65 Fellows who were launched last month as part of an early training pilot that began over the summer.”

“The new Fellows are designing experiences that help all students learn skills and mindsets necessary to navigate these uncertain times and to shape the future they want to see,” said Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “They are giving back to their school communities, and at the same time, they’re learning strategies that will help them serve as leaders in their careers after graduation.”

The new Fellows join the program from the following schools:

  • Aditya College of Engineering
  • Aditya College of Engineering and Technology
  • Aditya Engineering College
  • Bogazici University
  • Bowie State University
  • Catholic University of Uruguay
  • Central Michigan University
  • Edward Waters University
  • Elizabeth City State University
  • Elon University
  • Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • FH Salzburg (Salzburg University of Applied Sciences)
  • Fisk University
  • Fordham University
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Grand Valley State University
  • Hamburg University of Technology
  • Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
  • Iona College
  • Istanbul Technical University
  • Jackson State University
  • James Madison University
  • Johnson C. Smith University
  • Khalifa University of Science and Technology
  • Kingston University Business School
  • Koç University
  • Lingnan University
  • Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania
  • Macquarie University
  • Madanapalle Institute of Technology & Science
  • Marshall University
  • Menlo College
  • Michigan Technological University
  • Middle East Technical University
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • Morgan State University
  • National Institute of Development Administration
  • North Dakota State University
  • Oakwood University
  • Ohio University
  • Oregon Institute of Technology
  • Prasad V. Potluri Siddhartha Institute of Technology
  • Shaw University
  • Sophia University
  • South Plains College
  • Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  • St. Augustine’s University
  • Swarthmore College
  • Tennessee State University
  • Tohoku University
  • Universidad Católica del Uruguay, Salto-Punta del Este
  • Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología
  • Universidad de los Andes, Chile
  • Universidad de Montevideo
  • Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas
  • University of Cincinnati
  • University of North Florida
  • University of Puerto Rico at Bayamon
  • University of Twente
  • Utah Valley University
  • UTEC
  • V R Siddhartha Engineering College
  • Vasireddy Venkatadri Institute of Technology
  • Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering
  • Virginia State University
  • Virginia Tech

Fellows are nominated by faculty and administrators as individuals or teams of students and selected through an application process each year. Following acceptance into the program, students participate in a 6-week online training experience. During training, Fellows learn to analyze their campus ecosystems and identify opportunities for change related to innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, and creativity. They work to understand the needs of peers across disciplines and the perspectives of faculty and administrators. They apply this new knowledge and perspective to design new educational opportunities for their peers. After training, Fellows implement the projects they crafted. They continue to serve as change agents and leaders at their schools and beyond.

Faculty and administrators who guide Fellows, known as Faculty Champions, also have the ability to engage in a community of Faculty Innovation Fellows. This cohort-based program is a two-year experience that helps educators work to identify and design their own projects to make a difference at their schools. Led by a team of veteran Faculty Champions, candidates are part of a community of practice, collaborating with other faculty and staff from around the world to learn new change strategies. 

About the University Innovation Fellows program:

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. The Fellows are a global community of students leading a movement to ensure that all students gain the necessary attitudes, skills and knowledge required to compete in the economy of the future. These student leaders from schools around the country create new opportunities that help their peers develop an entrepreneurial mindset, build creative confidence, seize opportunities, define problems and address global challenges. Fellows are creating student innovation spaces, founding entrepreneurship organizations, hosting experiential events, and working with faculty and administrators to develop courses. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders and represent their schools at national events. The University Innovation Fellows is a program of Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). Learn more at universityinnovationfellows.org.

Media contact:

Laurie Moore
Communications Director
University Innovation Fellows Program
Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school)
(650) 561-6113
laurie@dschool.stanford.edu

22 educators accepted as candidates for the 2021 Faculty Innovation Fellows program

22 educators from 15 higher education institutions from around the world have been selected as candidates in the Faculty Innovation Fellows Program. In this two-year program, faculty and staff work to design unique projects that enhance the innovation ecosystems at their schools and help students gain vital real-world skills and mindsets.

This program is run by the University Innovation Fellows program, which empowers students and faculty leaders to increase campus engagement with innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity and design thinking. The University Innovation Fellows is a program of Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). 

Participants in the Faculty Innovation Fellows are the mentors (called Faculty Champions) of students taking part in the University Innovation Fellows program. The student program has existed since 2012 and has always involved Faculty Champions, but in this program, the mentors will work together across a global community to support their collective efforts. 

“We designed this program to address needs expressed by the faculty and staff in our community,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “These campus leaders wanted similar resources and a community of practice just like their student Fellows have. Last year was our first prototype and we saw great results. Educators were very engaged. They made great progress on their projects with mentorship and a supportive community. As a result, we’re thrilled to continue offering this program.”

Candidates in the program collaborate with one another to learn new change strategies, develop projects, gather feedback on ideas, and share resources. The program launched in September 2020. The first cohort of candidates met regularly in small groups to share the opportunities for change they identified as well as ideas for projects that can make the most impact for students at their schools. Candidates’ proposed projects include funding programs, new majors, new classes, activities that connect the campus and the community, and more. Each member of the program will have the opportunity to publish an article in the University Innovation Fellows journal, Change Forward, detailing their project and their progress. Those who complete the program will be launched as Faculty Innovation Fellows in March 2023. 

Four long-standing members of the Faculty Champion community provide mentorship to the group of candidates: Nick Swayne of James Madison University, Mary Raber of Michigan Tech, Miriam Iliohan of the University of Twente, and Ilya Avdeev of University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. 

“Candidates in the Faculty Innovation Fellows program are doing this work because they see opportunities to improve their schools and because they believe in the power of change from the bottom up,” said Fasihuddin. “We can’t wait to see what these change makers can accomplish!”

The candidates in the 2021-2023 Faculty Innovation Fellows program are:

  • Erica Noelle Hernandez, Bowie State University
  • Julie Ann Messing, Central Michigan University
  • Kelle Kathleen DeBoth, Cleveland State University
  • Nicholas Zingale, Cleveland State University
  • Yudistira Dwi Wardhana Asnar, Institut Teknologi Bandung
  • Abdul Munif, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember
  • Melanie Bowman, Khalifa University of Science and Technology
  • Alliya Rose Anderson, Khalifa University of Science and Technology
  • Jessica Wong, Lingnan University
  • Bongkot Jenjarrussakul, National Institute of Development Administration
  • Chanansara Oranop na ayutthaya, National Institute of Development Administration
  • Michael Dominik, Rowan University
  • Sunita Kramer, Rutgers University
  • Stephane Yu Matsushita, Tohoku University
  • Takeshi Kato, Tohoku University
  • Felipe Wilson, Universidad de los Andes, Chile
  • Daniel Flores Bueno, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas
  • Jorge Bossio, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas
  • Norma Silvana Balarezo, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas
  • Magna Guerrero, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas
  • Aaron Bradley, University of Cincinnati
  • Julieta Matos Castano, University of Twente

Learn more about the Faculty Innovation Fellows program at https://universityinnovationfellows.org/faculty-innovation-fellows-program/

277 students named University Innovation Fellows for 2021

Congratulations to the 277 students from 73 higher education institutions in 15 countries who have been named University Innovation Fellows this year! 

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. Fellows work to ensure that all students gain the attitudes, skills and knowledge required to navigate a complex world and build the future. 

These student leaders from schools around the globe create opportunities to help their peers build the creative confidence, agency, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to address global challenges. Fellows create student innovation spaces, start entrepreneurship organizations, facilitate experiential workshops, work with faculty and administrators to develop new courses, and much more. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders, lending the much-needed student voice to the conversations about the future of higher education.

The program is run by Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). With the addition of the new Fellows, the program has trained more than 2,600 students since its creation. 

“Higher education needs student change agents now more than ever,” said Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “The pandemic has forced our school’s leaders and faculty to change the way they educate students. This is our second cohort of Fellows impacted by the pandemic, and they’ve truly embraced this opportunity to help their schools adapt to today’s challenges.”

“The new Fellows are designing experiences that help all students learn skills and mindsets necessary to navigate these uncertain times and to shape the future they want to see,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “They are giving back to their school communities, and at the same time, they’re learning strategies that will help them serve as leaders in their careers after graduation.”

The new Fellows join the program from the following schools:

  • American University of Beirut
  • Bina Nusantara University
  • Bowie State University
  • California State University, Fullerton
  • Catholic University of Uruguay
  • Central Michigan University
  • Cleveland State University
  • Colorado School of Mines
  • Dian Nuswantoro University
  • Elizabeth City State University
  • Elon University
  • Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • FH Salzburg (Salzburg University of Applied Sciences)
  • Foothill College
  • Fordham University
  • George Fox University
  • Hamburg University of Technology
  • Hollins University
  • Institut Pertanian Bogor
  • Institut Teknologi Bandung
  • Institut Teknologi Harapan Bangsa
  • Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember
  • Iona College
  • James Madison University
  • Johnson C. Smith University
  • Khalifa University of Science and Technology
  • Koç University
  • Lingnan University
  • Louisiana Tech University
  • Loyola University Maryland
  • Madanapalle Institute of Technology & Science
  • Menlo College
  • Michigan Technological University
  • Morgan State University
  • National Institute of Development Administration
  • North Carolina Central University
  • Oakwood University
  • Padjadjaran University
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Rowan University
  • Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
  • Santa Clara University
  • Santa Monica College
  • Sophia University
  • Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  • Spelman College
  • Swarthmore College
  • Telkom University
  • Tennessee State University
  • TOBB University of Economics and Technology
  • Tohoku University
  • Tuskegee University
  • Udayana University
  • Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología
  • Universidad de los Andes, Chile
  • Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas
  • Universidad Tecnológica del Uruguay
  • Universitas Brawijaya
  • Universitas Gadjah Mada
  • Universitas Gunadarma
  • Universitas Indonesia
  • Universitas Terbuka
  • University of Cincinnati
  • University of Nebraska at Omaha
  • University of North Florida
  • University of Richmond
  • University of Southern California
  • University of Twente
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
  • Utah Valley University
  • Vasireddy Venkatadri Institute of Technology
  • Virginia State University
  • VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology

Fellows are nominated by faculty and administrators as individuals or teams of students, and selected through an application process each year. Following acceptance into the program, students participate in a 6-week online training experience. During training, Fellows learn to analyze their campus ecosystems and identify opportunities for change related to innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, and creativity. They work to understand the needs of peers across disciplines and the perspectives of faculty and administrators. They apply this new knowledge and perspective to design new educational opportunities for their peers. After training, Fellows implement the projects they crafted. They continue to serve as change agents and leaders at their schools and beyond.

Faculty and administrators who guide Fellows, known as Faculty Champions, also have the ability to engage in a community of Faculty Innovation Fellows. This cohort-based program is a two-year experience that helps educators work to identify and design their own projects to make a difference at their schools. Led by a team of veteran Faculty Champions, candidates are part of a community of practice, collaborating with other faculty and staff from around the world to learn new change strategies. 

About the University Innovation Fellows program:

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. The Fellows are a global community of students leading a movement to ensure that all students gain the necessary attitudes, skills and knowledge required to compete in the economy of the future. These student leaders from schools around the country create new opportunities that help their peers develop an entrepreneurial mindset, build creative confidence, seize opportunities, define problems and address global challenges. Fellows are creating student innovation spaces, founding entrepreneurship organizations, hosting experiential events, and working with faculty and administrators to develop courses. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders and represent their schools at national events. The University Innovation Fellows is a program of Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). Learn more at universityinnovationfellows.org.

Media contact:

Laurie Moore
Communications Director
University Innovation Fellows Program
Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school)
(650) 561-6113
laurie@dschool.stanford.edu

Funding to Support HBCUs

Update: The 2023 application is now open. To learn more, visit universityinnovationfellows.org/hbcu-program or email Catherine Randle at catherine@universityinnovation.org.

In February 2021, the University Innovation Fellows (UIF) program received a generous donation to fund the participation of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Over the next three years, students and educators at 60 HBCUs will have their program participation fees waived. The application deadline has been extended to May 17, 2021.

“Although HBCUs make up only three percent of the country’s colleges and universities, they enroll ten percent of all African American students and produce almost twenty percent of all African American graduates,” said program co-director Humera Fasihuddin. “Partnering with HBCUs to enhance innovation and entrepreneurship offerings for students will help strengthen the impact graduates have in their careers.”

In addition to the support for students to join the University Innovation Fellows program, this funding will support faculty innovators from these schools to use design tools and mindsets to reimagine their teaching practices. 

“Creating new possibilities in higher education will require that we examine our assumptions about what teaching and learning can be, and that we devote time and resources to supporting pedagogical innovators,” said program co-director Leticia Britos Cavagnaro. “We are thrilled to be able to expand our faculty development programs to include more colleagues from HBCUs.” 

Participating HBCUs will have:

  • Students who are trained to become University Innovation Fellows and create learning opportunities for peers at their school
  • Faculty and staff who support the University Innovation Fellows as “Faculty Champions.” Some of these educators can opt into the Faculty Innovation Fellows program and others can participate in the highly-acclaimed Teaching and Learning Studio workshop
  • Presidents and Provosts who attend an in-person gathering at Stanford to steer a national movement to expand innovation at HBCUs and in higher education as a whole

Students

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become leaders of change in higher education. Fellows create opportunities to help their peers build the creative confidence, agency, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to address global challenges and build a better future.

Training

Students apply as part of a team, and they go through a 6-week online training after being accepted into the program. During training, they learn to conduct in-depth analyses of their campus ecosystems and create activities to fill needs they discover. 

Making an impact

Fellows build innovation spaces, start organizations, facilitate workshops, work with faculty and administrators to develop new courses, and much more. As soon as they begin training, students are instantly connected to a community that includes students and faculty from HBCUs as well as other institutions in the U.S. and around the world. This network allows them to learn from the work at similar schools and gain inspiration from students in vastly different ecosystems.

Educators

Faculty and staff play a key role in our global community and have two ways for them to participate in our offerings.

Faculty Champions

Faculty and staff who support the University Innovation Fellows as “Faculty Champions” serve as advocates, advising students in their projects and working to move obstacles that stand in the way of their progress. Faculty Champions are often the chief beneficiaries of the students’ impact as they work together to foster a culture of creativity and innovation. Up to four members of the campus community may be selected as Faculty Champions. The primary Faculty Champion can opt to participate in the Faculty Innovation Fellows. Educators in this global community of practice participate in a 2-year program to create strategic projects of value to their institutions.

Teaching and Learning Studio

Selected educators participate in the highly-acclaimed Teaching and Learning Studio workshop to experiment with research-supported strategies for experiential and student-centered pedagogy.

Leaders

Participation in the program requires support from school leaders. The program’s leadership point of contact helps steer campus engagement in three key ways.

Letter of support

A letter of support from the President or VP-level leader of the school is required for each cohort of students participating in the University Innovation Fellows program.

Leaders meeting

Presidents and Provosts are invited to attend an annual in-person gathering at Stanford to steer a national movement to expand innovation at HBCUs and in higher education as a whole.

Engagement of campus innovation community

Our program’s student and faculty offerings are intended to support the administration’s strategic goals to accelerate innovative teaching and learning at each school. As such, leaders should play a key role in identifying the faculty and staff who will serve as Faculty Champions, as well as the selection of educators who participate in the Teaching and Learning Studio.

The program is currently accepting applications. Please contact program manager Catherine Randle at catherine@universityinnovation.org to learn how your school can take advantage of this opportunity.

Note: the end of the application involves paying the fee, so please reach out to Catherine before reaching the payment submission.


HBCUs that have been involved in the University Innovation Fellows program:

University Innovation Fellows Program Meetups

HBCU Innovation Summits

Teaching and Learning Studio (Faculty Professional Development)

198 students named University Innovation Fellows for 2020

198 students from 45 higher education institutions in 14 countries have been named University Innovation Fellows. 

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. Fellows work to ensure that all students gain the attitudes, skills and knowledge required to navigate a complex world and build the future. 

These student leaders from schools around the globe create opportunities to help their peers build the creative confidence, agency, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to address global challenges. Fellows create student innovation spaces, start entrepreneurship organizations, facilitate experiential workshops, work with faculty and administrators to develop new courses, and much more. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders, lending the much-needed student voice to the conversations about the future of higher education.

The program is run by Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). With the addition of the new Fellows, the program has trained nearly 2,400 students since its creation. 

“Higher education needs student change agents now more than ever,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “The global pandemic has forced higher education leaders and faculty to change the way they educate and connect with students. Students have a unique opportunity to help their schools adapt to the challenges presented by this unprecedented time, and schools have an opportunity to engage students as co-designers of today’s educational experience.”

“We’ve trained these new Fellows to identify opportunities for change at their schools and to design experiences that help all students learn skills and mindsets necessary to shape the future,” said Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “These Fellows are giving back to their school communities, and at the same time they’re also learning strategies that will help them serve as leaders in their careers after graduation.”

The new Fellows join the program from the following schools:

  • Bogazici University  
  • Bucknell University  
  • Clemson University  
  • Colorado School of Mines  
  • Elon University  
  • Fordham University  
  • Georgia Institute of Technology  
  • Grand Valley State University  
  • Hamburg University of Technology  
  • Illinois Institute of Technology  
  • Iona College  
  • Istanbul Technical University  
  • James Madison University
  • Khalifa University of Science and Technology  
  • Koç University  
  • Lingnan University  
  • Louisiana Tech University  
  • Loyola University Maryland  
  • Madanapalle Institute of Technology & Science  
  • Menlo College  
  • Michigan Technological University  
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering  
  • National Institute of Development Administration  
  • Ohio University  
  • Prairie View A&M University  
  • Salzburg University of Applied Sciences
  • Sophia University  
  • Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering  
  • Swarthmore College  
  • The Ohio State University  
  • Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología  
  • Universidad de los Andes, Chile  
  • Universidad del Desarrollo  
  • Universidad Tecnológica del Uruguay
  • University of Nebraska at Omaha  
  • University of North Florida  
  • University of Richmond  
  • University of St. Thomas  
  • University of Technology Sydney
  • University of Tulsa  
  • University of Twente  
  • Utah Valley University  
  • Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering  
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • Wichita State University  

Fellows are sponsored by faculty and administrators as individuals or teams of students, and selected through an application process each year. Following acceptance into the program, students participate in a 6-week online training experience. During training, Fellows learn to analyze their campus ecosystems and identify opportunities for change related to innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, and creativity. They work to understand the needs of peers across disciplines and the perspectives of faculty and administrators. They apply this new knowledge and perspective to design new educational opportunities for their peers. After training, Fellows implement the projects they crafted. They continue to serve as change agents and leaders at their schools and beyond.

This year, the University Innovation Fellows program team launched the inaugural Faculty Innovation Fellows cohort. This two-year program is for Faculty Champions — the faculty and staff mentors of University Innovation Fellows. This program helps educators work to identify and design their own projects to make a difference at their schools. Led by a team of experienced Faculty Champions, candidates are part of a community of practice, collaborating with other faculty and staff from around the world to learn new change strategies. Those who complete the program in Fall 2022 will be launched as Faculty Innovation Fellows.

About the University Innovation Fellows program:

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. The Fellows are a global community of students leading a movement to ensure that all students gain the necessary attitudes, skills and knowledge required to compete in the economy of the future. These student leaders from schools around the country create new opportunities that help their peers develop an entrepreneurial mindset, build creative confidence, seize opportunities, define problems and address global challenges. Fellows are creating student innovation spaces, founding entrepreneurship organizations, hosting experiential events, and working with faculty and administrators to develop courses. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders and represent their schools at national events. The University Innovation Fellows is a program of Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). Learn more at universityinnovationfellows.org.

Media contact:
Laurie Moore
Communications Director
University Innovation Fellows Program
(650) 561-6113
laurie@universityinnovation.org


Applications Open for Fall 2020 UIF Training

Applications are live for the University Innovation Fellows program Fall 2020 training cycle! The deadline is May 18, 2020.

Note: The application deadline has been extended from April 13 to May 18.

Process

This application is team-based; students and a faculty champion will work on one application together.

Faculty champions begin an application via our apply page and invite students to complete application materials. Each team member will have access to and be able to complete their piece of the application. Once all materials are completed, the faculty champion will submit the application on behalf of the team.

The following materials are required from faculty:

  1. A faculty application
  2. Payment of the $4,000 program fee
  3. An institutional letter of support from the university President, Provost, Chancellor, or other VP-level administrator

The following materials are required from each student applicant:

  1. A student application, complete with written and video responses
  1. Three letters of support from peers and mentors in the student’s community. Supporters will be invited via email and complete the letter of support online through our application platform.

Next Steps

The application deadline is April 30, 2020, at midnight Eastern Time. We take several weeks to review the application materials for each school. If all requirements have been met, we will email applicants an invitation to interview in June.

Current Fellows and UIF staff conduct interviews in leadership circles (up to 4 students applying from one school). These interviews are interactive and meant to showcase you as a team, whereas the application is to get to know you individually. If you are the only student applying from your school, you will be interviewed solo. All interviews are conducted by current University Innovation Fellows or team members, and recorded for review.

Once all interviews are completed, we will be in touch about your status with the program. 

Training Dates

Fall 2020 training will begin on August 31, 2020, with an orientation hosted by the UIF team. Orientation is one hour and will be recorded if you are unable to join due to your time zone. Students as well as faculty champions are welcome to join this orientation call. During the call, you will meet the UIF team and learn about the 6 weeks of online training.

Training will conclude on October 11, with your public launch as a University Innovation Fellow on October 19.

Spring 2021 Meetup

In order to attend a University Innovation Fellows Meetup in Spring 2021, Fellows will be required to demonstrate action and learning, or measurable progress with their projects. Learn more about this new requirement here.

Apply for Fall 2020 UIF training here: universityinnovationfellows.org/apply/.

For more information, please visit our frequently asked questions page universityinnovationfellows.org/apply/faqs or contact the team at applications@universityinnovation.org.

360 students named University Innovation Fellows for 2019

360 students from 90 higher education institutions in 13 countries have been named University Innovation Fellows.

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. Fellows work to ensure that all students gain the attitudes, skills and knowledge required to navigate a complex world and build the future. 

These student leaders from schools around the globe create opportunities to help their peers build the creative confidence, agency, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to address global challenges. Fellows create student innovation spaces, start entrepreneurship organizations, facilitate experiential workshops, work with faculty and administrators to develop new courses, and much more. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders, lending the much-needed student voice to the conversations about the future of higher education.

The program is run by Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). With the addition of the new Fellows, the program has trained nearly 2,200 students since its creation. 

“Higher education needs to change faster to meet the needs of students and industry today,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “In traditional education systems, students have to wait until they graduate to make a difference. We don’t believe that. As the key stakeholders of higher education, students should be active participants in a change process that helps them learn the skills and mindsets necessary to create the future. The students who participate in our program are ideally poised to help accelerate the pace of change at their schools.”

“Through this program, Fellows gain skills, mindsets and knowledge to face ever-more complex challenges at their schools and in the world,” said Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “During training, Fellows learn to analyze their campus ecosystems and identify opportunities for change related to innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, and creativity. They work to understand the needs of peers across disciplines and the perspectives of faculty and administrators. They apply this new knowledge and perspective to design new educational opportunities for their peers.”

The new Fellows join the program from the following schools:

  • Aditya College of Engineering
  • Aditya College of Engineering and Technology
  • Aditya Engineering College
  • Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali
  • Bogazici University
  • Brigham Young University
  • Bucknell University
  • Catholic University of Uruguay
  • Clemson University
  • Colorado School of Mines
  • Colorado State University
  • Converse College
  • Creighton University
  • Elon University
  • Fordham University
  • George Fox University
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Godavari Institute of Engineering & Technology (A)
  • Grand Valley State University
  • Hamburg University of Technology
  • Hochschule Luzern
  • IE University
  • Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
  • Iona College
  • James Madison University
  • Johnson C. Smith University
  • K L University
  • KKR & KSR Institute of Technology & Sciences
  • KLS Gogte Institute of Technology
  • Koç University
  • Lingnan University
  • Lipscomb University
  • Louisiana Tech University
  • Loyola University Maryland
  • Madanapalle Institute of Technology & Science
  • Marshall University
  • Menlo College
  • Michigan Technological University
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • Morgan State University
  • Munich Technical University
  • National Institute of Development Administration
  • North Carolina A&T State University
  • Ohio Northern University
  • Ohio University
  • Peking University
  • Pennsylvania State University
  • Prairie View A&M University
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Rowan University
  • Sagi Rama Krishnam Raju Engineering College
  • Saint Joseph University of Beirut
  • Salzburg University of Applied Sciences
  • South Plains College
  • Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  • Sri Vasavi Engineering College
  • Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering
  • Stanford University
  • Susquehanna University
  • Swarthmore College
  • Tennessee Technological University
  • The Ohio State University
  • Union College
  • Universidad de los Andes
  • Universidad de Montevideo
  • University of Canberra
  • University of Georgia
  • University of Nebraska at Omaha
  • University of North Florida
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • University of Richmond
  • University of San Diego
  • University of St. Thomas
  • University of Technology Sydney
  • University of Twente
  • University of Utah
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Utah State University
  • Utah Valley University
  • Vanderbilt University
  • Vasireddy Venkatadri Institute of Technology
  • Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • Western Michigan University
  • Wichita State University
  • William Jewell College
  • Yale University
  • York College of Pennsylvania
  • Zhejiang University

Fellows are sponsored by faculty and administrators as individuals or teams of students, and selected through an application process each year. Following acceptance into the program, students participate in a 6-week online training experience that requires them to learn from and work with stakeholders on campus. After training, Fellows have many opportunities to learn from one another, Stanford and peer mentors, and leaders in academia and industry. Fellows also present their work and facilitate workshops at events and conferences around the world. 

In Spring 2020, Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in the program’s signature Silicon Valley Meetup in California. During this gathering, Fellows take part in immersive experiences at Stanford University and Google, and work with leaders in education and industry. They participate in experiential workshops and exercises focused on topics including movement building, spaces for innovation, design of learning experiences, and new models for change in higher education.

 

About the University Innovation Fellows program:

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. The Fellows are a global community of students leading a movement to ensure that all students gain the necessary attitudes, skills and knowledge required to compete in the economy of the future. These student leaders from schools around the country create new opportunities that help their peers develop an entrepreneurial mindset, build creative confidence, seize opportunities, define problems and address global challenges. Fellows are creating student innovation spaces, founding entrepreneurship organizations, hosting experiential events, and working with faculty and administrators to develop courses. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders and represent their schools at national events. The University Innovation Fellows is a program of Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). Learn more at universityinnovationfellows.org.

 

Media contact:
Laurie Moore
Communications Director
University Innovation Fellows Program
(650) 561-6113
laurie@universityinnovation.org

Publication: An Innovators’ Movement

A new book by MIT Press, Does America Need More Innovators?, features a chapter by UIF program co-directors

UIF program co-directors Humera Fasihuddin and Leticia Britos Cavagnaro have written a chapter in a newly published book by MIT Press. The book, Does America Need More Innovators?, is an exploration of today’s global imperative to innovate, with contributions by champions, critics, and reformers of innovation.

The book originated in a 2015 workshop held at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, hosted by Virginia Tech-Lemelson Center and titled “Can Innovators Be Made?” Humera, Leticia and two Fellows presented at the workshop while the UIF program was part of the NSF-funded National Center for Engineering Pathways to Innovation (Epicenter). Afterwards, Humera and Leticia were invited to contribute a chapter along with several other participants of the workshop.

Their chapter, “An Innovators’ Movement,” focuses on the role of students in bringing about change in higher education in order to help young people gain the attitudes, skills and knowledge required to navigate a complex world.

Learn more about the book, and download a PDF of the content, at https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/does-america-need-more-innovators


Just Published: Book About UIF

Our team is thrilled to announce that a book about the UIF program has been published! The book, Designing for Change: Using social learning to understand organizational transformation, was written by renowned social scientists Beverly and Etienne Wenger-Trayner. The book is a case study of the UIF program and brings to life decades of the authors’ research in social learning theory.

As we learned, books take a long time from inspiration to publication. We began this project in 2015, while we were still operating under the NSF-funded National Center for Engineering Pathways to Innovation (Epicenter). We engaged Beverly and Etienne to write a white paper that would apply their social learning theories to our program in order for us to better understand its impact on the individuals in our community as well as their schools and organizations.

During the process of their interviews with our Fellows, faculty champions, team and community members, Beverly and Etienne became convinced that a simple white paper wouldn’t do the story justice. In the book’s introduction, they write, “As we proceeded to look at existing data and interview people, the stories we were hearing and the picture that was emerging were so rich and inspiring that the format of a short white paper seemed too constraining. Our readers would miss too much. The potential audience was broader. We all agreed that it was going to be a short book.”

Today, this book is a rich portrayal of our program — with its strengths as well as areas for improvement — seen through the lens of the authors’ social learning framework of value creation. Their rigorous analysis weaves in quantitative data obtained by our NSF-mandated external evaluator, and is augmented with stories from Fellows, and photos of all the remarkable people that make up the UIF family. We are excited to see these insights shared in such a compelling way, and we hope they will inspire other programs to incorporate social learning strategies in their change work.

The book is available on Amazon: http://bit.ly/uif-book.

Happy Reading!

The UIF team

Applications Open for Fall 2019 UIF Training

Applications are live for the University Innovation Fellows program Fall 2019 training cycle! The deadline is March 31, 2019.

Process

This application is team-based; students and a faculty champion will work on one application together.

Faculty champions begin an application via our apply page and invite students to complete application materials. Each team member will have access to and be able to complete their piece of the application. Once all materials are completed, the faculty champion will submit the application on behalf of the team.

The following materials are required from faculty:

  1. A faculty application
  2. Payment of the $4,000 program fee
  3. An institutional letter of support from the university President, Provost, Chancellor, or other VP-level administrator

The following materials are required from each student applicant:

  1. A student application, complete with written and video responses
  1. Three letters of support from peers and mentors in the student’s community. Supporters will be invited via email and complete the letter of support online through our application platform.

Next Steps

The application deadline is March 31, 2019, at midnight Eastern Time. We take several weeks to review the application materials for each school. If all requirements have been met, we will email applicants an invitation to interview in June.

We conduct interviews in leadership circles (up to 4 students applying from one school). These interviews are interactive and meant to showcase you as a team, whereas the application is to get to know you individually. If you are the only student applying from your school, you will be interviewed solo. All interviews are conducted by current University Innovation Fellows or team members, and recorded for review.

Once all interviews are completed, we will be in touch about your status with the program. 

Training Dates

Fall 2019 training will begin on September 3, 2019, with an orientation hosted by the UIF team. Orientation is one hour and will be recorded if you are unable to join due to your time zone. Students as well as faculty champions are welcome to join this orientation call. During the call, you will meet the UIF team and learn about the 6 weeks of online training.

Training will conclude on October 17, with your public launch as a University Innovation Fellow on October 28, 2019.

Spring 2020 Meetup

In order to attend a University Innovation Fellows Meetup in Spring 2020, Fellows will be required to demonstrate action and learning, or measurable progress with their projects. Learn more about this new requirement here.

Apply for Fall 2019 UIF training here: universityinnovationfellows.org/apply/application/.

For more information, please visit our frequently asked questions page universityinnovationfellows.org/apply/faqs or contact the team at applications@universityinnovation.org.

358 students named University Innovation Fellows for Fall 2018

358 students from 96 higher education institutions in 16 countries have been named University Innovation Fellows.

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. Fellows work to ensure that their peers gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to compete in the economy of the future and make a positive impact on the world.

To accomplish this, Fellows advocate for lasting institutional change and create opportunities for students to engage with innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking and creativity at their schools. Fellows design innovation spaces, start entrepreneurship organizations, host experiential learning events, and work with faculty to develop new courses.

The program is run by Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). With the addition of the new Fellows, the program has trained more than 1,800 students since its creation.

“Higher education needs to change faster to meet the needs of students and industry today,” said Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “As the key stakeholders of higher education, students should be active participants of a change process that helps them learn the skills and mindsets necessary to create the future. The students who participate in our program are ideally poised to help accelerate the pace of change at their schools. They are highly motivated to make progress quickly, as they’re only on campus for a short time, and they care deeply about their schools and the experience of all students.”

“Through this program, Fellows gain skills, mindsets and knowledge to face complex challenges at their schools and in the world,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “During training, Fellows analyze their campus ecosystems and identify learning opportunities related to innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, and creativity. They work to understand the needs of peers across disciplines and the perspectives of faculty and administrators. Armed with this knowledge and perspective, they design strategies to take advantage of these opportunities for change.”

The new Fellows join the program from the following schools:

  • Abu Dhabi University
  • Aditya Institute of Technology & Management
  • Ajman University
  • Annamacharya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Rajampet
  • Arizona State University
  • Audisankara College of Engineering and Technology
  • Boise State University
  • Brigham Young University
  • Bucknell University
  • California State University of Fullerton
  • City College of New York
  • Clemson University
  • Colorado School of Mines
  • Colorado State University
  • Columbia University
  • Elon University
  • FH Salzburg
  • Fordham University
  • George Fox University
  • Godavari Institute of Engineering & Technology
  • Grand Valley State University
  • Hamburg University of Technology
  • IE University
  • Indiana University Purdue University – Indianapolis
  • Iona College
  • James Madison University
  • Johnson C. Smith University
  • K L University
  • Kakinada Institute of Engineering & Technology
  • Khalifa University of Science and Technology
  • KLS Gogte Institute of Technology, Belagavi
  • Lancaster University
  • Lingnan University
  • Louisiana Tech University
  • Loyola University Maryland
  • Madanapalle Institute of Technology and Science
  • Michigan State University
  • Michigan Technological University
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • Morgan State University
  • Narasaraopeta Engineering College
  • Ohio Northern University
  • Ohio University
  • Peking University
  • Prairie View A&M University
  • QIS College of Engineering and Technology
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Sagi Rama Krishnam Raju Engineering College
  • Saint Joseph University of Beirut
  • Santa Clara University
  • Smith College
  • Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
  • South Plains College
  • Southern Illinois University
  • Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam
  • Sri Vasavi Engineering College
  • Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering
  • Srinivasa Ramanujan Institute of Technology
  • Susquehanna University
  • Swarthmore College
  • The Ohio State University
  • Union College
  • United States Air Force Academy
  • Universidad Católica del Uruguay
  • Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología
  • Universidad de los Andes
  • Universidad de Montevideo
  • Universidad Tecnológica del Uruguay
  • University College of Engineering JNTUK Narasaraopet
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • University of California, Davis
  • University of Dayton
  • University of Delaware
  • University of Economics – Varna
  • University of Nebraska Omaha
  • University of New Haven
  • University of North Alabama
  • University of Oregon
  • University of Portland
  • University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
  • University of Saint Thomas
  • University of Technology Sydney
  • University of Tulsa
  • University of Twente
  • University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
  • V R Siddhartha Engineering College
  • Varna Free University
  • Vasireddy Venkatadri Institute of Technology
  • Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering
  • Vignan’s Institute of Information Technology
  • Virginia Tech
  • Western New England University
  • Wichita State University
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  • Youngstown State University
  • Zhejiang University

Fellows are sponsored by faculty and administrators as individuals or teams of students, and selected through an application process each year. Following acceptance into the program, schools fund the students to go through six weeks of online training and travel to one of two in-person Meetups to continue their projects and skill building. Throughout the year, Fellows have many opportunities to learn from one another, Stanford mentors, and leaders in academia and industry. Fellows also present their work and facilitate workshops at events and conferences around the world.

In Spring 2019, Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in one of the program’s two signature events: the Silicon Valley Meetup in California or the Eastern Hemisphere Meetup, which will be held in Dubai. During these gatherings, Fellows take part in immersive experiences at local universities and organizations, and work with leaders in education and industry. They participate in experiential workshops and exercises focused on topics including movement building, innovation spaces, design of learning experiences, and new models for change in higher education.

This cohort of Fellows includes students from 20 schools in India, who are partially funded by Google to take part in the University Innovation Fellows program. Read more about the program’s work in India at universityinnovationfellows.org/india.

Media contact:
Laurie Moore
Communications Director
University Innovation Fellows Program
(650) 561-6113
laurie@universityinnovation.org

Big Changes Ahead: UIF Program Updates

The UIF team is excited to share some important changes to our program that we believe will result in even greater impact on your campus.

 

University Innovation Fellows and their faculty champions know just how often we emphasize prototyping, gaining feedback, and continually improving. Just as we ask Fellows to do this as they create activities, classes, spaces and communities at their schools, we do the same with our program.

We are thrilled to introduce a new iteration of our program cycle! After talking with so many of you, we designed a new process that streamlines and strengthens every Fellow’s potential to make impact.

Starting this year, we will offer only one application and online training cycle each year, after which Fellows will have to demonstrate action and learning in order to receive an invitation to the University Innovation Fellows Meetup. Below are the details.

One application and training cycle each year

Beginning with the next cohort of Fellows, we will hold only one application and training cycle each year. This year, applications will be due on May 21, 2018; interviews will take place in June; and training will be held September 4 – October 18, 2018. By holding only one application and training cycle each year (rather than two), our team will be able to focus on support for Fellows immediately after training and beyond.

One Silicon Valley Meetup and one Eastern Hemisphere Meetup each year

We will continue to hold our Silicon Valley Meetup once per year, in mid-March. For those of you who attended our November 2017 Meetup, you’ll remember that this was a special event to celebrate our program’s 5-year anniversary. Therefore we will not hold a Silicon Valley Meetup in November 2018.

Additionally, we will replicate the Silicon Valley Meetup experience in the Eastern Hemisphere. As a prototype, in May 2018, we are holding a Meetup in India for our growing population of Fellows in the Eastern Hemisphere. Stay tuned for details!

Impact requirement to attend the Meetup

In order to attend the University Innovation Fellows Meetup, Fellows will be required to demonstrate action and learning, or measurable progress with their projects. For the Fall 2018 cohort of Fellows, we will ask them to share an update on this progress about two months after they complete training — by December 14, 2018. Fellows who are able to demonstrate measurable traction on their projects will receive an invitation to attend the University Innovation Fellows Meetup by January 15, 2019. Those who achieve traction after this date will be invited to the Meetup in 2020.

What do we mean by impact? Change is hard, and it takes a lot of tenacity, grit, work and time. There are different levels of measurable impact: the numbers of attendees, events, and activities; the immediate effect on stakeholders who have a positive and enjoyable experience attending an activity Fellows organize; and the lasting impact in the mindsets and skillsets of faculty and students who learn something new during those activities. Even deeper impact happens when those in charge of systems and programs rethink their assumptions and implement changes. Every school and UIF project is different, and therefore requires different ways to understand and measure impact. For more information on this, please read this report by our colleagues Bev and Etienne Wenger-Trayner.

The ultimate goal of showing impact before attending the Meetup is for Fellows to take quick action and learn from the successes, failures, and everything in between. It takes small steps to make a difference, and we’re here to help you understand those steps.

This new process will ensure a strong return on investment for Fellows, faculty, stakeholders and for the UIF team. The UIF team will be able to focus more energy into providing support throughout the year and increasing our interactions with Fellows. As a result, we will all experience a higher quality program and thrive in stronger impact together.

Looking ahead

We are excited to design this new support experience for Fellows! We will share more details in the future about the ways in which we will help Fellows experiment, test and meet their goals.

As we celebrated our program’s 5-year anniversary in Fall 2017, our team had an opportunity to look back and review how much our program has changed since the beginning. We’ve continued to take in your feedback, to address your needs, and to take on new opportunities. There is always more work to do, and we look forward to continuing the journey with you as we work together to change higher education.

Here’s to the next 5 years!

The UIF team

(Leticia, Humera, Katie, Laurie and Ghanashyam)

258 students named University Innovation Fellows for Spring 2018

258 students from 64 higher education institutions in 9 countries have been named University Innovation Fellows.

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. Fellows work to ensure that their peers gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to compete in the economy of the future and make a positive impact on the world.

To accomplish this, Fellows advocate for lasting institutional change and create opportunities for students to engage with innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking and creativity at their schools. Fellows design innovation spaces, start entrepreneurship organizations, host experiential learning events, and work with faculty to develop new courses.

The program is run by Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). With the addition of the new Fellows, the program has trained nearly 1,500 students since its creation.

Fellows are sponsored by faculty and administrators as individuals or teams of students, and selected through an application process each year. Following acceptance into the program, schools fund the students to go through six weeks of online training and travel to the University Innovation Fellows Silicon Valley Meetup. Throughout the year, Fellows take part in events and conferences and have opportunities to learn from one another, Stanford mentors, and leaders in academia and industry.

“We believe students can help accelerate the pace of change in higher education,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “They have creative ideas, and are very resourceful. With proper training and mentorship, they are initiating positive lasting changes at their schools and making a difference in the lives of their peers.”

“Through this program, Fellows gain skills, mindsets and knowledge to face complex challenges at their schools and in the world,” said Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “They learn how to analyze their campus ecosystems and identify learning opportunities related to innovation and entrepreneurship. In doing so, they identify gaps and strive to understand the needs of peers across disciplines, and the perspectives of faculty and administrators. Armed with this knowledge, they design strategies to take advantage of these opportunities for change.”

The new Fellows join the program from the following schools:

  • Aditya Institute of Technology & Management
  • Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering College Ghaziabad
  • Annamacharya Institute of Technology and Sciences
  • Audisankara Institute of Technology
  • Berea College
  • Binghamton University
  • Colorado School of Mines
  • Duke University
  • Elon University
  • Furman University
  • Galgotias College of Engineering & Technology
  • Galgotias University
  • Godavari Institute of Engineering & Technology
  • Grand Valley State University
  • Indiana University Purdue University Indiana (IUPUI)
  • James Madison University
  • Kakinada Institute of Engineering & Technology
  • Kettering University
  • La Salle University
  • Loyola University Maryland
  • Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts School of Art & Design
  • Madanapalle Institute of Technology & Science
  • Menlo College
  • Mills College
  • Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • Morgan State University
  • Nankai University
  • Narasaraopeta Engineering College
  • North Carolina A&T University
  • Ohio Northern University
  • Ohio State University
  • Pace Institute of Technology & Sciences
  • Peking University
  • QIS College of Engineering & Technology
  • Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies
  • Rowan University
  • Sagi Rama Krishnam Raju Engineering College
  • Saint Louis University
  • Santa Clara University
  • Siddartha Institute of Science & Technology
  • South Plains College
  • Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering
  • Union College
  • Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología
  • Universidad de Montevideo
  • Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua, Managua
  • University of Alabama, Birmingham
  • University of Canberra
  • University of Dayton
  • University of New Haven
  • University of Oregon
  • University of Portland
  • University of San Diego
  • University of Technology, Sydney
  • University of Tulsa
  • University of Twente
  • University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
  • Utah Valley University
  • Vasireddy Venkatadri Institute of Technology
  • Velagapudi Ramakrishna Siddhartha Engineering College
  • Western Michigan University
  • Wichita State University
  • William Jewell College
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute

This cohort of Fellows includes students from 18 schools in India, who are partially funded by Google to take part in the University Innovation Fellows program. Read more about the program’s work in India here.

In March 2018, students will have the opportunity to participate in the Silicon Valley Meetup, which brings together all Fellows trained in Spring 2018. During this gathering, Fellows will take part in immersive experiences at Stanford’s d.school and Google, and work with leaders in education and industry. They will participate in experiential workshops and exercises focused on topics including movement building, innovation spaces, design of learning experiences, and new models for change in higher education.

Learn more about the work of the Fellows at universityinnovationfellows.org.

Media contact:
Laurie Moore
Communications Director
University Innovation Fellows Program
(650) 561-6113
laurie@universityinnovation.org

229 students named University Innovation Fellows for Fall 2017

229 students from 62 higher education institutions in 10 countries have been named University Innovation Fellows.

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. Fellows work to ensure that their peers gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to compete in the economy of the future and make a positive impact on the world.

To accomplish this, Fellows advocate for lasting institutional change and create opportunities for students to engage with innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking and creativity at their schools. Fellows design innovation spaces, start entrepreneurship organizations, host experiential learning events, and work with faculty to develop new courses.

The program is run by Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). With the addition of the new Fellows, the program has trained more than 1,200 students since its creation.

Fellows are sponsored by faculty and administrators as individuals or teams of students, and selected through an application process twice annually. Following acceptance into the program, schools fund the students to go through six weeks of online training and travel to the University Innovation Fellows Silicon Valley Meetup. Throughout the year, they take part in events and conferences and have opportunities to learn from one another, Stanford mentors, and leaders in academia and industry.

“During training, Fellows gain skills, mindsets and knowledge to face ever-more complex challenges at their schools and in the world,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “They learn frameworks like design thinking and lean startup, which help them analyze their campus ecosystems, understand the needs of others, and uncover opportunities for change. As a result, Fellows design learning experiences that better prepare peers for their careers.”

“In traditional education systems, students have to wait until they graduate to make a difference. We don’t believe that,” said Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “Students are uniquely equipped to make a difference while they’re in school; they know best what other students want and need. Our Fellows are working with their peers, faculty and administrators to co-design a different educational experience and bring about change where it’s needed most.”

The new Fellows join the program from the following schools:

  • Aditya Engineering College
  • Ambalika Institute of Management & Technology
  • Annamacharya Institute of Technology & Sciences
  • Boğaziçi University
  • Bucknell University
  • California State University, Fullerton
  • City College of New York
  • Clemson University
  • Dalhousie University
  • Dhanekula Institute of Engineering & Technology
  • Folsom Lake College
  • Gayatri Vidya Parishad College of Engineering
  • George Fox University
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Hartwick College
  • James Madison University
  • K L University
  • Kent State University
  • KKR & KSR Institute of Technology & Sciences
  • KLS Gogte Institute of Technology
  • Koç University
  • Leuphana Universität Lüneburg
  • Louisiana Tech University
  • Madanapalle Institute of Technology & Science
  • Michigan Technological University
  • North Dakota State University
  • Ohio University
  • Prairie View A&M University
  • QIS College of Engineering & Technology
  • R.V.R. & J.C. College of Engineering
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Sagi Rama Krishnam Raju Engineering College
  • Shri Vishnu Engineering College For Women
  • Siddharth Institute of Engineering & Technology
  • Sierra College
  • Smith College
  • Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam
  • Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering
  • Srinivasa Ramanujan Institute of Technology
  • Susquehanna University
  • Swarthmore College
  • Universidad Católica del Uruguay
  • Universidad de los Andes
  • Universidad del Desarrollo
  • Universidad del Turabo
  • University College of Engineering Kakinada
  • University of Colorado Colorado Springs
  • University of Delaware
  • University of Minnesota
  • University of New Hampshire
  • University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez
  • University of St. Thomas
  • University of Tulsa
  • University of Twente
  • Utah Valley University
  • Vasireddy Venkatadri Institute of Technology
  • Vignan’s Foundation For Science, Technology & Research
  • Virginia Tech
  • Western State Colorado University
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  • York College of Pennsylvania
  • Zhejiang University

This cohort of Fellows includes students from 20 schools in India, who are partially funded by Google to take part in the University Innovation Fellows program. Read more about the program’s work in India here.

In November 2017, students will have the opportunity to participate in the Silicon Valley Meetup, which brings together all Fellows trained in Fall 2017. During this gathering, Fellows will take part in immersive experiences at Stanford’s d.school and Google, and work with leaders in education and industry. They will participate in experiential workshops and exercises focused on topics including movement building, innovation spaces, design of learning experiences, and new models for change in higher education.

Applications for the Spring 2018 cohort of University Innovation Fellows are due on October 30, 2017. Learn more and apply here.

 

Media contact:
Laurie Moore
Communications Director
University Innovation Fellows Program
(650) 561-6113
laurie@universityinnovation.org

Now Accepting Applications for Spring 2018 UIF Program

Applications are live for the University Innovation Fellows program Spring 2018 training cycle!

Please apply here: http://universityinnovationfellows.org/apply/application/.

Process

This application is team-based; students and a faculty champion will work on one application together on the platform YouNoodle. Each team member will have access to and be able to complete their piece of the application. Once all materials are completed, the faculty champion will submit the application on behalf of the team.

What You Need

The following materials are required:

  1. One application per student;
  2. Three letters of support from peers and mentors in the student’s community. Supporters will be invited via email and complete the letter of support online through YouNoodle;
  3. A faculty application, complete with the $4,000 program fee;
  4. One institutional letter of support from the university President, Provost, Chancellor, or other VP-level administrator, uploaded with the faculty champion application.

Next Steps

The application deadline is October 30, 2017, at midnight Eastern Time. We take several weeks to review the application materials for each school. If all requirements have been met, we will email applicants an invitation to interview.

We conduct interviews in leadership circles (up to 4 students applying from one school). These interviews are interactive and meant to showcase you as a team, whereas the application is to get to know you individually. If you are the only student applying from your school, you will be interviewed solo. All interviews are conducted by current University Innovation Fellows and recorded for review.

Once all interviews are completed, we will be in touch about your status with the program. Interviews run for about a month, so you should hear from the program team in mid-December.

Training Dates

Spring 2018 training will begin on Saturday, January 6, 2018, with orientation at 11 am Eastern Time. Orientation is one hour and will be recorded if you are unable to join due to your time zone. Students as well as faculty champions are welcome to join this orientation call. During the call, you will meet the UIF team and learn about the 6 weeks of online training.

Training will conclude with your official launch as a University Innovation Fellow on February 16, 2018.

March Meetup

Upon successful completion of the program, you will be invited to attend our Silicon Valley Meetup on March 15-19, 2018. You will learn more about this event at orientation and throughout training.

Apply for Spring 2018 UIF training here: http://universityinnovationfellows.org/apply/application/.

For more information, please visit our frequently asked questions page universityinnovationfellows.org/apply/faqs or contact Katie Dzugan at katie@universityinnovation.org and +1 (413)-274-7077.

UIF Workshop Featured in Chronicle of Higher Education

The Chronicle of Higher Education published an in-depth article about our program’s Teaching and Learning Studio faculty workshop.

What does it look like to learn and apply design thinking in higher education? This was the focus of a Chronicle of Higher Education article about our program’s Teaching and Learning Studio faculty workshop. The feature article, “Can Design Thinking Redesign Higher Ed?” was written by reporter Lee Gardner, who attended the workshop in July 2017, alongside 50 faculty and administrators from around the world.

The Teaching and Learning Studio workshop helps higher education faculty use design thinking to create student-centric and active learning experiences. It also helps administrators reimagine other aspects of higher ed institutions beyond the classroom and adopt a student-centric approach. This four-day, in-person training is held three times each year at Stanford University’s d.school.

Read the article here.

Learn more about the Teaching and Learning Studio, and how to apply, at http://universityinnovationfellows.org/teachingandlearningstudio/

Understanding Student Perspectives

The pilot of the Shadow a Student Higher Ed Challenge will take place April 20-27, 2017.

Credit Patrick Beaudouin

In the University Innovation Fellows program, empathy is a big part of our daily practice. One of our core values is the emphasis on learning and understanding the experiences, challenges and joys of others so we can solve our world’s problems. Gaining empathy is essential for us as we work with Fellows and faculty colleagues to create change in higher education.

Last year, we learned about the Shadow a Student Challenge, run by School Retool, another d.school program. We were inspired by this broad-reaching exercise in empathy that asked K-12 teachers, principals and administrators to shadow a student at their school for one day. The challenge is simple but impactful.

As educators, it’s important to continuously connect with the students at our schools. This is how we can adapt our classes, culture and spaces to better fit their needs. There’s no better way to practice empathy than by putting ourselves literally in the shoes of our students. More than 2,500 educators have done just that over the last two years as part of the K-12 challenge (check out their insights on Twitter at #shadowastudent).

We wondered, with all this enthusiasm for the K-12 challenge, what this challenge would look like in higher education. What would college and university leaders learn from spending a day in the life of a student at their institution?

Well, we’re going to find out together. We’re excited to announce the Shadow a Student Higher Ed Challenge, a small higher education pilot of the K-12 challenge in collaboration with the School Retool program. In true d.school form, we’re testing out this idea to see what works, what doesn’t, and what our shadowers learn from their experiences.

For this pilot, we’re working with teams of administrators, faculty and staff from several institutions: Boise State University, Clemson University, Stanford University, Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología in Peru, University of Maryland, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

From April 20 (National High Five Day!) through April 27, we’re challenging leaders at these schools to pick a day, shadow one of their students for the day, and share their insights on Twitter at #shadowacollegestudent. We invite you to follow along, ask questions and share what this community is learning.

Read more about the challenge at universityinnovationfellows.org/shadow-student-higher-ed-challenge.

Press Release: 224 Students Named University Innovation Fellows

224 students from 58 higher education institutions in 7 countries have been named University Innovation Fellows.

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. Fellows work to ensure that their peers gain the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to compete in the economy of the future and make a positive impact on the world.

To accomplish this, Fellows advocate for lasting institutional change and create opportunities for students to engage with innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking and creativity at their schools. Fellows design innovation spaces, start entrepreneurship organizations, host experiential learning events and work with faculty to develop new courses.

The program is run by Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). With the addition of the new Fellows, the program has trained 1,000 students at 185 schools since its creation.

Fellows are sponsored by faculty and administrators as individuals or teams of students, and selected through an application process twice annually. Following acceptance into the program, schools fund the students to go through six weeks of online training and travel to the annual University Innovation Fellows Silicon Valley Meetup. Throughout the year, they take part in events and conferences and have opportunities to learn from one another, Stanford mentors, and leaders in academia and industry.

“During their training, Fellows learn how to analyze their campus innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems and understand the needs of stakeholders with the goal of uncovering opportunities to enrich the educational opportunities for their peers,” said Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “They utilize frameworks like Design Thinking and Lean Startup to bring their ideas to life and work with peers from different backgrounds and disciplines.”

“The core belief of our program is that students can be partners with faculty and administrators to help lead change in higher education,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “When we empower students to be the co-designers of the education experience, they create a better educational environment for others as well as themselves. Fellows grow as change agents in the process, and their peers benefit from an increased number of resources that expose them to skillsets and mindsets essential to the 21st century economy.”

The new Fellows join the program from the following schools and countries:

  • ABES Engineering College, India
  • Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering College, India
  • Annamacharya Institute of Technology and Sciences Rajampet, India
  • Arizona State University, USA
  • Binghamton University, USA
  • Boise State University, USA
  • Clark Atlanta University, USA
  • Colorado School of Mines, USA
  • El Centro Latinoamericano de Economia Humana (CLAEH), Uruguay
  • Elon University, USA
  • Florida Institute of Technology, USA
  • Galgotias College of Engineering and Technology, India
  • Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
  • Godavari Institute of Engineering & Technology, India
  • Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), USA
  • James Madison University, USA
  • JNTUA, India
  • JNTUK Kakinada, India
  • Kettering University, USA
  • La Salle University, USA
  • Lawrence Technological University, USA
  • Loyola University Maryland, USA
  • Madanapalle Institute of Technology and Sciences, India
  • Menlo College, USA
  • Morgan State University, USA
  • Ohio Northern University, USA
  • Pepperdine University, USA
  • R.V.R & J.C College of Engineering, India
  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA
  • Sagi Rama Krishnam Raju Engineering College, India
  • Santa Clara University, USA
  • Sri Padmavathi Mahila Viswavidhyalayam, India
  • Sri Venkateswara University College of Engineering, India
  • Union College, USA
  • Universidad de Montevideo, Uruguay
  • University of British Columbia, Canada
  • University of Dayton, USA
  • University of Louisville, USA
  • University of Miami, USA
  • University of New Haven, USA
  • University of Oregon, USA
  • University of Pittsburgh, USA
  • University of Portland, USA
  • University of St. Thomas, USA
  • University of Technology Sydney, Australia
  • University of Twente, Netherlands
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
  • V R Siddhartha Engineering College, India
  • Vasireddy Venkatadri Institute of Technology, India
  • Villanova University, USA
  • Washington State University, USA
  • Washington University in St. Louis, USA
  • Western Michigan University, USA
  • Western New England University, USA
  • Wichita State University, USA
  • William Jewell College, USA
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute, USA
  • Zhejiang University, China

This cohort of Fellows includes 55 students from 14 schools in India, who are partially funded by Google to take part in the University Innovation Fellows program. Read more about the program’s work in India here.

In March 2017, students will have the opportunity to participate in the Silicon Valley Meetup, which brings together all Fellows trained in Fall 2016 and Spring 2017. During this gathering, Fellows will take part in immersive experiences at Stanford’s d.school, Google, Microsoft and other Silicon Valley organizations. They will participate in experiential workshops and exercises focused on topics including movement building, innovation spaces, design of learning experiences, and new models for change in higher education.

Applications for the Fall 2017 cohort of University Innovation Fellows are due on March 24, 2017. Learn more and apply at universityinnovationfellows.org/apply.

 

About the University Innovation Fellows program: 

The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. The Fellows are a global community of students leading a movement to ensure that all students gain the necessary attitudes, skills and knowledge required to compete in the economy of the future. These student leaders from schools around the country create new opportunities that help their peers develop an entrepreneurial mindset, build creative confidence, seize opportunities, define problems and address global challenges. Fellows are creating student innovation spaces, founding entrepreneurship organizations, hosting experiential events, and working with faculty and administrators to develop courses. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders and represent their schools at national events. The University Innovation Fellows is a program of Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). Learn more at universityinnovationfellows.org.

 

About Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school):

The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University (known as the d.school) brings together students and faculty from radically different backgrounds to develop their creative confidence and their potential as innovators by tackling real-world challenges. Learn more at dschool.stanford.edu.

 

Media contact:
Laurie Moore
Communications Director
University Innovation Fellows Program
(650) 561-6113
laurie@universityinnovation.org

 

Update May 3, 2017: 10 additional students from the following 4 schools have been launched as Fellows: Marquette University, USA; University of California, Berkeley, USA; Universidad Tecnológica del Uruguay; and University of New Hampshire, USA.

University Innovation Fellows Program Partners with Google on India Initiative


By the UIF program team (Leticia, Humera, Katie and Laurie)

We are thrilled to share that the University Innovation Fellows program is partnering with Google on a new international initiative. Google India has committed to training 2 million mobile developers in India to meet the increasing pace of global technological innovation. At the Google University Summit in India, the University Innovation Fellows program was launched as one of the higher education efforts of this initiative.

The pace of technological innovation has been advancing at a historically unprecedented rate. In order for an economy to take advantage of this great potential, it needs to cultivate its citizens’ intellectual, technical and professional capacities. To support this substantial and game-changing economic impact, we must also cultivate and nurture the creative, innovative and entrepreneurial mindset of this emerging workforce.

To complement Google’s developer training initiative, our program’s goal as part of this initiative is to empower students in these countries as higher education change agents and equip them with the knowledge, skills and mindsets that will help them succeed in the workforce after graduation. Fellows in India will be tasked with creating educational opportunities to help their peers learn to be entrepreneurial, creative and innovative in addition to upskilling technical mobile development skills.

“Since we started this program in the U.S. in 2012, our campus partners have experienced significant benefits in collaborating with students to create lasting institutional change,” said Humera Fasihuddin, co-director of the University Innovation Fellows program. “We believe our partnership with Google will help us seed a similar innovation revolution in India.”

“By some estimates, India will overtake the United States in 2018 and become the largest developer population globally. But currently less than 25% of these developers are building for mobile, even though 65% of current internet users, and a majority of future internet users in India and other emerging markets around the world will access the internet only on their mobile phone,” said William Florance, Head of University Programs for Developer Training. “In addition to our faculty training efforts and recently announced Google Developers Codelabs, we are thrilled to help bring the University Innovation Fellows program to India. It is our belief the combination of these efforts can help prepare future mobile developers to become more creative and entrepreneurial in solving problems both locally and around the world.”

In early September, we accepted our first Indian cohort of 22 students from 10 schools. The UIF program team then visited India to better understand the challenges and opportunities in the higher education system there. We met with UIF candidates, their faculty sponsors, students and faculty at four school site visits. We were blown away by their passion and enthusiasm for this opportunity, and we’re excited to continue to collaborate with them. We accepted the second Indian cohort of 55 students from 14 schools in February 2017. This year, our India Fellows will visit the U.S. to attend the Silicon Valley Meetup, the program’s signature in-person event. We will continue to accept students from India with support from Google in our future application cycles.

In the next two years, we hope to reach more than 50 schools in India with the program. We are exploring new means of engagement including two upcoming events in Bangalore: a Regional Meetup for Fellows and their peers, and a Teaching and Learning Studio workshop for faculty and teaching staff.

“Cross-pollination and collaboration among students from different schools is at the core of our program’s success,” said UIF program co-director Leticia Britos Cavagnaro. “Thus, this initiative in partnership with Google will not only be a transformative opportunity for schools and students in India, but also for the schools and Fellows already participating in the program in the United States and beyond. It will be an unparalleled learning journey for all, and we are truly looking forward to making the most out of it.”