Priorities:Rockhurst University Student Priorities

Priority 1: An Institutionalized Form of Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Innovate Hour - Fellow: Michael Brummett

The innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) movement on campus at Rockhurst is still small, and housed entirely outside of the institution of the University. Yet, a real demand from both students and faculty does exist for the skills and resources possessed by University Innovation Fellows (and candidates) on campus. This demand that has been identified exists in the form of faculty wanting to be able to leverage University Innovation Fellow and Innovate at the Rock members' skills in the realm of design thinking, lean startup and entrepreneurship. Presently, there are no means established for a professor to invite students to seek help or "pick the brains" of these individuals. This is the problem we look to first address.

With the I&E movement on campus having begun on a very grass roots level, the best approach we currently have is to create an "Innovate Hour." A time every single week where University Innovation Fellows and Innovate at the Rock members- along with their faculty advisors- can offer assistance to students: having trouble brainstorming project ideas, developing business models, interested in starting their own business, or solving problems relating to the classroom, campus and/or community. Innovate Hour would partner with Rockhurst University's Learning Center initially, to brand themselves as a true resource to the faculty and students on campus. The first step of establishing that relationship is to meet with Dr. Ann Volin, director of the Learning Center, to discuss the possibility of this partnership.

The objective kept in mind with this priority has four parts: 1. To brand the University Innovation Fellows and Innovate at the Rock as a valuable resource to the University as a whole. 2. To take the first steps in creating an institutionalized form of I&E on campus, as currently none exist. 3. To gauge student and faculty interest in I&E as a whole to, 4. Eventually leverage the influence and valuable nature of Innovate Hour on campus to establish the need for a "Maker Space."