University Innovation Fellows - User contributions [en]

Priorities:Santa Clara University Student Priorities

2015-01-30T06:18:26Z

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Overview

Santa Clara University has a huge amount of resources for all students who are interested in entrepreneurship and innovation, however, not many students are enrolled in these programs.  There seems to be a rather large disconnect between the students and the programs.  This is not for a lack of trying.  Many organizations try very hard to organize to students, but there are not very good channels for connecting the students to their desired program.  Sure, there are bulletin boards all around campus, and emails that go out, but most students ignore both of these methods.  There needs to be a better way to reach a larger amount of students.  

There is also the problem of divisions.  Each school under the Santa Clara University umbrella (Arts and Science, Engineering, and Business) seems to have a disconnect.  They all seem to work with in their own school and not promote innovation by working together.  Bringing all these schools together would surely promote a greater pool of ideas and innovations.  

Strategy #1: Bringing Innovation to the Students

Tactic #1: More University Taught Classes!!

My first idea would be to get in touch with multiple professors and try and come up with some classes in the entrepreneurship field that would could for credit for the students.  Currently there are entrepreneurship classes but they can only be counted for credit in the entrepreneurship minor, or as an elective.  If we were to come up with a class that could implement a university core class it would count toward student graduation, and more students would take it.  The problem is that many students have jam-packed schedules as it is, and so fitting entrepreneurship classes into that does not work.  However, if we make the class part of their requirements, then the students can easily make time for the class.  Another way to fit entrepreneurship classes into already full schedules would be to offer a course that “double dips” or satisfies more than one requirement.  This would encourage more students to enroll and would teach them valuable entrepreneurial skills.

Tactic #2: App Advertising

My next tactic has to do with reaching students here on campus.  There needs to be a better way of connecting the resources to the students.  One way in which I thought this would be work better is by creating an app that any student could access, and it would tell them all the different opportunities for entrepreneurship in one handy place.  I could advertise the app on Facebook and Instagram to raise awareness.  The app could also be expanded to run for all clubs so students would know all the various clubs and activities that were meeting within a week.  

 

Strategy #2: A More United Campus

Tactic #1:  Innovation Class

One idea that I received from the documentary that we watched on design thinking in week two was to do a class in innovation.  I think if we could bring together a group of professors from all of the schools here, and then have them teach a class on innovation.  Each group of students, which would be from each school as well, would have to come up with a product or a pitch to solve a real world problem. They would then be judged on business model, engineering innovation, and design.  The best group of students could win a grant, or another prize of some kind.  This would promote design thinking and innovation here on campus, and be a great addition to the entrepreneurship curriculum.  

Tactic #2:  Classes for all!

My next idea involves entrepreneurship courses for all.  These could be seminars or actual classes for each school with in Santa Clara University.  This would be like Entrepreneurship for Engineers or for artists, or biology, but having courses that would be in more fields.  Currently there is an issue of having almost all entrepreneurship courses within the business and very little in other disciplines, and this makes it hard for students who are not business majors to pursue entrepreneurship.  This is an important issue because all students would benefit from having entrepreneurial skills, not just students in the business school. More classes would allow more students on campus to follow their passion for entrepreneurship.  
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School:Santa Clara University

2015-01-27T05:28:24Z

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Santa Clara University

Promoting Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Santa Clara University has many institutions perfect for growing its students entrepreneurial skills.  A very popular minor at the school is entrepreneurship, where students take classes in many different business disciplines.  This minor also includes an internship with a start up in the Silicon Valley.  The school also offers many clubs such as the Santa Clara Entrepreneurs Organization, which organizes entrepreneurial events such as an elevator pitch competition.  There are also many events run through the school such as start of idea challenges, or programs like Weekend Startup are brought to campus.  

Encouraging Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Part of Santa Clara being in the Silicon Valley means that a lot of the professors come from entrepreneurial positions.  Many teachers in the business school teach with the entrepreneurial mindset, and give real world examples from their own experiences.  Many faculty also have important relationships with start up companies and encourage these companies to come speak on campus.  Professors also get many grants that the hand off to students to encourage entrepreneurship.  For example in 2008, the engineering school was given a very large grant to grow the entrepreneurial opportunities on campus, and that they have.  Every single senior must create their own design product, considering many entrepreneurial ideals.  

Actively Supporting the University Technology Transfer Function

The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on campus facilitates the transfer of technology to students.  It runs various programs and brings speakers on campus all in the name of entrepreneurship.  The center provides a network of connections to various companies and technologies so the students can best flourish in the entrepreneurial mindset.  Technology is also encouraged in the Maker Lab at Santa Clara University, where any student who goes through training can use the lab as much as they wish and create anything they want there.  This very much encourages the creative mindset on campus.  

Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration

The university has many useful connections with companies in and out of the Silicon Valley.  The “Bronco Link” is a site where students can see job and internship postings for companies looking for Santa Clara University students.  There are many startups and entrepreneurial opportunities on the sight.  As stated earlier, there are also very many useful connections with teachers.  Since so many teachers have worked in industry in is very easy to ask a teacher to set up an interview, and all teachers are willing to help.  

Engaging with Regional and Local Economic Development Efforts  

Santa Clara very much encourages its students to aid in regional and local economic efforts.  One very integral way is through the many jobs that Santa Clara University supplies the area with.  Students are given very many opportunities in the area and often stay to work in the area.  The school also runs collaborations with quite a few businesses in the area.  An example of this is the collaboration with NASA and the engineering school, in which many students can work.  The school also encourages its students to be socially responsible in all things including promoting charitable programs in dorms, and even requiring a class that works with some kind of charity.  Santa Clara very much cares and utilizes the surrounding area in a beneficial way.

Related Links

SCU Landscape Canvas

[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tCqumm6LVc6V3bhm-jVaewlbR9_gFjbbxYuPPQaRUhQ/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tCqumm6LVc6V3bhm-jVaewlbR9_gFjbbxYuPPQaRUhQ/edit?usp=sharing]

Other Fellows

[http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Main_Page http://universityinnovation.org/wiki/Main_Page]

Fellow:Laura Tschudy

2015-01-03T20:36:35Z

Ltschudy: Created page with "thumb Laura Tschudy majors in Mechanical Engineering and minors in Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University.    She is originally f..."

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Laura Tschudy majors in Mechanical Engineering and minors in Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University.    She is originally from Golden, Colorado but loves the weather in California.  She comes from a family of six (two of those being K-9).  She has been a part of the National Honor Society, Girl’s Mentoring, and Mu Alpha Theta. She has been a nominee for the My Student, My Hero Award, and represented the national Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  

Laura has worked for Aeropostale, Aspect Energy, and for the engineering department at Santa Clara University.  In her job with the university she was lucky enough to participate in their satellite program in cooperation with NASA.   She is a well-known dog lover, and loves joining intermural sports teams with her friends. In her free time she can be found watching good movies with exceptional company.  

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2015-01-03T20:33:31Z

Ltschudy: Santa Clara University, UIF Spring 2014

Santa Clara University, UIF Spring 2014