About the Program
The University Innovation Fellows program empowers students to become agents of change at their schools. The Fellows are a global community leading a movement to ensure that all students gain the attitudes, skills and knowledge required to navigate a complex world. These student leaders from schools around the world create opportunities to help their peers build the creative confidence, agency, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to address global challenges and to build a better future.
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 University Innovation Fellows is a program of Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). The program was created as part of the National Center for Engineering Pathways to Innovation (Epicenter), a five-year National Science Foundation grant. Learn more at universityinnovationfellows.org.
Fellows at Michigan Tech
The Alley Makerspace
The creation of the Alley Makerspace was led by Brad Turner as a UIF initiative at Michigan Tech. A design sprint was held, and Michigan Tech community members were invited to help create a vision for the space. With the input in mind, the space opened October 25, 2016 in the old bowling alley in the basement of the Memorial Union Building with the idea that it is a prototype in itself; it is always adapting to fit the needs of the makers in the space. It exists to create an environment where everyone in the Michigan Tech community is encouraged and supported to make by providing a welcoming space, learning opportunities, a maker network, and resources. The space is open and free to use to all students, faculty, and staff at Michigan Tech. Tools and equipment are available to use for 3D printing, woodworking, electronics, crafting, sewing, and more through donations and sponsorships the space has received.
For the most up to date information on the space, check out the Makerspace website.
#uifresh
#uifresh (University Innovation Freshmen) started in 2015 as a national initiative for the UIF program. At Michigan Tech, the initiative was led by Fellows from Fall 2014 and Fall 2015 (Magann Dykema, Josh Krugh, and Brad Turner). The mission is to introduce first year student to innovation, design thinking, creativity, and the entrepreneurial mindset the second they get to campus. While introducing the students to the resources available to them, we may spark further interest for their college career.
For more information, check out this article.
Interested in learning more? Reach out to one of the active Fellows on campus or email huskyinnovate@mtu.edu.
Innovation Week
Innovation Week was created 2 years ago by Fellows from the Fall 2016 cohort (Rachel Kolb, Kyle Ludwig, and Adam Weber) to spread the word about innovation and entrepreneurship to the student body. Throughout the week, students at Michigan Tech can learn about innovation, entrepreneurship, and design thinking by attending workshops, attending presentations from guest speakers, participating in competitions, and various other activities. Be on the lookout every year for this week that you will not want to miss!
Interested in participating next year or just want to learn more? Reach out to one of the active Fellows on campus or email huskyinnovate@mtu.edu.
Design Thinking Workshops
Fellows at Michigan Tech work to share the methodology of Design Thinking with the
Michigan Tech community in the spirit of innovation. They have done workshops with
many audiences on campus including departments, classes, and student organizations.
Design Thinking is a problem solving method that focuses on the user’s needs, challenging
assumptions, and redefining problems by utilizing methods such as empathy and testing.
Interested in learning more about Design Thinking? Reach out to one of the active
Fellows on campus or email huskyinnovate@mtu.edu.