Be a Change Agent for Santa Clara University!

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Ciocca Center Innovation Fellows focuses on finding a pain point on our SCU campus and using design thinking methods and empathy to identify and implement solutions. This 3 quarter program is great for students who want to continue to improve and grow the SCU community. The first quarter is a learning experience of mastering design thinking tools as part of an interdisciplinary team. In the second quarter, student teams will work with SCU administrators to address a real problem on campus. In the third quarter, students will further refine their ideas, test, and implement their creative ideas for solutions that stick, well beyond their time here at SCU.

Ciocca Center Innovation Fellows are committed to curiosity and fostering development of the student experience at Santa Clara University.

Issues that the 2024-2025 Innovation Fellows are addressing include:

Belonging at SCU
Sustainability

Issues that the 2023-2024 Innovation Fellows are addressing include:

Excess Goods
Admissions Onboarding
Supporting Office of Multicultural Learning
Improving Academic Services

Teaching Team

Prof. Kathy Sun

Co-Instructor

Keith Yocam

Co-Instructor

Hallie Mullane

Program Director

Cristina Florea

Co-Instructor

Colin Justin

Co-Instructor

2024-2025 Cohort

Abby Wilwerding

Communications Major, Retail Studies and Real Estate Minors

Alisa Cheng

Accounting and Information Systems Major, Music Minor

Andrew Joseph

Neuroscience and Mechanical Engineering Majors

Anna Aldrin

Computer Science and Engineering Majors

Asha LaManque

Computer Science Major

Calissa Leong

Bioengineering Major

Camille Follante

Political Science Major

Charles Legge

Accounting and Information Systems Major

Connor Fox

Finance Major, Real Estate Minor

Cooper McCarthy

Mechanical Engineering Major, Aerospace Engineering Minor

Emily Han

Business Marketing Major

Emily Kang

Accounting Major, Asian-American Studies Minor

Ethan Yeh

Finance Major, Asian American Studies Minor

Evan Hackstadt

Computer Science Major

Flavio Olivieri Villalvazo

Mechanical Engineering Major

Francisca Gelman

Communications and Spanish Double Major

Gabrielle Ponciano

Management Information Systems Major

Gavin O'Connor

Finance and Computer Science

Henry Gewecke

Business

Irene Chang

Computer Science and Engineering

Jason Wu

Computer Science and Engineering

Julia Philbrick

Communications Major, Political Science and Entrepreneurship Minors

Kiara Pech

Economics Major

Lauren Raney

Political Science Major, Economics Minor

Liv de Jounge

Political Science Major, Economics Major, International Business Minor

Meg Rawson

Engineering and Web Design

Mia Flores

Political Science and Sociology

Michael Cooper

Economics Major, Business Analytics Minor

Miranda Roche

Business

Pragna Bura

Management Information Systems Major

Rahul Kaura

Computer Engineering Major

Sandro Biscocho

Accounting and Information Systems Major

Sarah Floyd

Finance Major

Sean Wu

Computer Science and Engineering

Sunny Tran

Finance Major, Business Analytics Minor

Taylor Ogata

Business

Winston Qiu

Accounting Major

Yash Gaur

Business Management Major

Zach Carlson

Engineering

2023-2024 Cohort

Sharmila Bhatt

Psychology, Real Estate

Samira Billow

Biology Major, Public Health Minor

Ivan Carrasco

Mechanical Engineering

Kendall Cox

Undeclared

Jackson Dwelle

Biochemistry Major, Entrepreneurship Minor

Sabrina Gonzalez

Economics

Daniel Gustin

Major in Economics and Minor in Technical Innovation, Design Thinking, and Entrepreneurship

Erik Keifer

General Engineering

Patricia Landers

Biology and Child Studies Double Major

William Langdoc

Sociology Major

April Le

Ethnic Studies Major

Anushree Malhotra

Psychology and Child Studies Double Major, Public Health Minor

Ahnika Mangalick

Computer Science and Mathematics Major

Chelsea Nguyen

Business Management Major Technical Innovation, Design Thinking, and Entrepreneurship Minor

Kimberly Salas-Ruiz

Child Studies Major (pre-health track)

Abigail Sauter

Neuroscience Major

Kelly Zhou

Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Major

2022-2023 Innovation Fellows

Apply!

Check back in April of 2025

FAQs

Who can apply for this program?

SCU students who are rising Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors (current First Year, Sophomores, and Juniors) are eligible to apply.

What is the time commitment?

Students commit to a 3 unit course, offered 1 unit each quarter. There is a time commitment associated with and equivalent to a 1 unit course each quarter for a full academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring).

Additionally, students commit to presenting their solution during the following Fall.

Can students participate in both Innovation Fellows and SCU Study Abroad?

Students will not be able to participate in Innovation Fellows if they are committed to SCU Study Abroad in the Fall Quarter of the same year as the Innovation Fellows application cycle.

What topic will be the focus?

This program will be driven by the students and the groups engaged. The theme is Santa Clara University, and this is a great program for students who want to continue to improve and grow the SCU community.

Has this course happened before?

As Design Thinking experts, the program continues to be improved upon.

A two year long version of this program is being offered to 16 undergraduate students. Additionally, a version of this program has been offered to graduate students in the ECP at SCU. An elective (non-credit) version has been offered for 4 years prior for undergraduates, the program has been well received by participants and students have asked for the creation of a larger for-credit version.