The National Center for Engineering Pathways to Innovation (Epicenter) named Western New England University students Benjamin Kennedy, Kathryn Jordan, Jonathan Young (seen above) and Daniel Mencio (below) as University Innovation Fellows. Epicenter is funded by the National Science Foundation and directed by Stanford University and VentureWell. With their support they aim to help undergraduate engineering students benefit society and the economy with their innovative ideas. By helping students combine innovative and entrepreneurial thinking and skills, they can create lasting change on campus that benefits all of society.
“The University innovation fellows program will have a lasting impact on our innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem here at Western New England," explained Professor Rob Gettens. "As our faculty continue to take positive steps in teaching innovation in the classroom, and through our partnership and efforts with the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN), having a simultaneous student driven effort through the Fellows program will have a powerful synergistic effect.”
The students recently completed the six weeks of necessary training to become Fellows and will now work with the University faculty to provide innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, and creativity opportunities to other students over the course of the next year. The program empowers students to take an active role in changing higher education starting with their schools. Their roles could vary from many options, including designing new classes for their peers, to ensure lasting changes on campus.
The student Innovation Fellows will be spending part of their spring break at Stanford University in San Jose, California, for additional training. Funding for travel, training and other projects by the student Fellows is provided through generous grants from the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN).
