School:University of San Diego

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Background

Undergraduate Degrees 

  • Anthropology 
  • Architecture 
  • Art History 
  • Behavioral Neuroscience 
  • Biochemistry 
  • Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Chemistry
  • Communication Studies 
  • English
  • Environmental and Ocean Studies 
  • Ethnic Studies 
  • French 
  • History 
  • Interdisplicinary
  • International Relations 
  • Italian Studies
  • Liberal Studies 
  • Mathematics 
  • Music 
  • Philosophy 
  • Physics 
  • Political Science 
  • Spanish 
  • Theatre 
  • Theology and Religious Studies 
  • Visual Arts 
  • Economics 
  • Business Administration
  • Business Economics 
  • Finance 
  • International Business
  • Marketing 
  • Real Estate
  • Accountancy 
  • Computer Science 
  • Electrical Engineering 
  • Industrial and System Engineering 
  • Mechanical Engineering 


Graduate Degrees 

  • International Relations 
  • Acting 
  • Environmental and Ocean Sciences 
  • Master of Science in Nursing 
  • Master's Entry Program in Nursing 
  • Healthcare Informatics
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice 
  • PhD of Nursing Practice 
  • PhD in Nursing 
  • Peace and Justice
  • Social Innovation
  • Conflict Management and Resolution 
  • Cyber Security Operations and Leadership 
  • Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership 
  • Business Administration 
  • Accountancy 
  • Executive Leadership
  • Finance 
  • Global Leadership
  • Real Estate 
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Taxation 
  • Business and Corporate Law 
  • Comparative Law 
  • General LLM
  • International Law 
  • Legal Studies 
  • Juris Doctor 
  • Counseling 
  • Higher Education Leadership 
  • Marital and Family Therapy 
  • Nonprofit Leadership and Management 
  • Master of Education 
  • Special Education 
  • TESOL, Literacy and Culture
  • Leadership Studies 
  • Cyber Security Engineering

Promoting Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Changemaker Hub

The Changemaker Hub is a resource for students on campus to actively learn and engage with social justice and social innovation on both a global and local scale. The Changemaker Hub is a central location on campus that facilitates students getting involved within their communities as well as on and off campus. The Hub is also an Ashoka U certified organization on our campus and is dedicated to teaching students the method and importance of design-thinking. Every semester, there are a number of workshops put on centered around design-thinking, entrepreneurship, and innovation. One example of a design-thinking workshop is the LAUNCH program. LAUNCH is a six-week design thinking bootcamp put on by the Changemaker Hub every semester. 

Initiatives on Campus 

Because the Changemaker Hub is so central to campus, there are a myriad of events that take place within it. Not only this, but the Hub is working to collaborate with other clubs on campus to reach the student body even more. Pancake Peeps just recently merged with the Changemaker Hub in 2019. Pancake Peeps is a club that was started by a dedicated student who was involved with the Changemaker Hub, and is now an extremely popular program. Every Saturday, students carpool to Downtown, San Diego, to cook pancakes for the local homeless population. 

Furthermore, Outdoor Adventures is a wide-reaching program on campus. Many students resonate with the love of being outdoors. Outdoor Adventures goes on frequent trips, as well as a retreat before the school year even starts. A lot of students begin to feel really at home with the Outdoor Adventures community, and are able to bond with new friends in the outdoors!

Other organizations such as the Math Learning Center are really crucial to campus. The peer-to-peer tutoring is especially helpful as students can more effectively help others when they have literally had the same professors and sat in the same desks!

USD provides many opportunities for Entreprenuership through the Entrepreneurship Club and their events, as well as "Torero Treks" where students visit real, large companies and learn about what goes on there. 

Encouraging Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Due to the nature of small class sizes, faculty and students are very closely connected. Most teachers know all or at least a majority of their students names. The smaller environment makes many students feel more comfortable and feel like they can approach their professors. In comparison, professors also feel closer to their students becuase they have such small class sizes. Professors make sure to offer their time in office hours regularly.

Furthermore, because students and teachers are so close, many faculty on campus are passionate about helping students with their endeavours, whether these endeavours are academic or not. For example, work study students are given the opportunity to work closely with faculty members and learn what it is like to be in a business. For instance, students may participate in staff meetings. 

Actively Supporting The University Technology Transfer Function 

Students at USD could be more closely integrated during Freshman Year. Due to the spread out locations of on-campus dorms, many poeple struggle to meet others outside of their living area on campus. The freshman orientation includes many activities and field trips where students are randomly paired together, no matter where they live. We would love to facilitate more of these trips to bring opportunities for students all over campus to meet each other. 

Facilitating University Innovation Industry Collaborations 

Events on Campus

-My Story

-What I Be Project

-Dinner with Strangers

-Changemaker Challenge

-LAUNCH

-Social Change Corps

-Ashoka U Exchange Conference

Engaging with Regional and Local Economic Development Efforts 

Feedback from Students

When we interviewed some students on campus we found that there were a few common concerns among the students. Many voiced concerns about the lack of transportation from and around campus. When interviewing students it was also made apparent that we can do a better job publicizing some opportunities better to students such as grants offered and opportunities for students to use what they learned in the classroom in real life. Students also shared that they enjoyed our events that were linked to the community such as My Story and Dinner with Strangers and they would appreciate working more with the local USD community.

Analyzing our Landscape Canvas

Active students who hold leadership positions and who take initiative are more aware of various opportunities for innovation, but the general student body and alumni often lack a way of connecting to our Changemaker identity. We consider this a big problem that we want to explore and further research. In addition, in the "spin out" section USD lacked a long-term support system of students interested in innovation and entrepreneurship after graduation. While USD offers a variety of ways to get involved while attending the college, it lacks a connect to alumni and supporting students after they graduate.

Related Links

University of San Diego Strategic Priorities

2019 Cohort: Strategic priorities described in: Session 4 Strategic Priorities

2018 Cohort: Strategic priorities video: https://youtu.be/6y2aofmyf-M


Members of UIF team:

2019 Cohort

Erica Buyalos

Sophia Austin

Tanya Keval

Linnea Leidy


2018 Cohort

Isabelle Ashraf

Julia Heaton

Reijer Den Dulk

Riley Dean