Be a Change Agent for Santa Clara University!
Ciocca Center Innovation Fellows focuses on finding a pain point on our SCU campus and using design thinking methods and empathy to identify and implement solutions. This 1 year program is great for students who want to continue to improve and grow the SCU community. The first quarter is a learning experience of mastering design thinking tools as part of an interdisciplinary team. In the second and third quarter, student teams will work with SCU administrators to address a real problem on campus. In the fourth quarter, students will further refine their ideas, test, and implement their creative ideas for solutions that stick, well beyond their time here at SCU.
Ciocca Center Innovation Fellows are committed to curiosity and fostering development of the student experience at Santa Clara University.
Issues that Innovation Fellows are addressing include:
- Food insecurity
- Male-identifying student access to mental health resources
- A "one-stop" solution for student clubs to create events
- Student attendance at sporting events
- Making STEM spaces more inclusive for non-Engineers
Prof. Kathy Sun
Co-Instructor
Keith Yocam
Co-Instructor
Hallie Mullane
Program Administrator and Teaching Assistant
Abby Wilwerding
Communications Major, Retail Studies and Real Estate Minors
Alisa Cheng
Accounting and Information Systems Major, Music Minor
Andrew Joseph
Neuroscience and Mechanical Engineering Majors
Anna Aldrin
Computer Science and Engineering Majors
Asha LaManque
Computer Science Major
Calissa Leong
Bioengineering Major
Camille Follante
Political Science Major
Charles Legge
Accounting and Information Systems Major
Connor Fox
Finance Major, Real Estate Minor
Cooper McCarthy
Mechanical Engineering Major, Aerospace Engineering Minor
Emily Han
Business Marketing Major
Emily Kang
Accounting Major, Asian-American Studies Minor
Ethan Yeh
Finance Major, Asian American Studies Minor
Evan Hackstadt
Computer Science Major
Flavio Olivieri Villalvazo
Mechanical Engineering Major
Francisca Gelman
Communications and Spanish Double Major
Gabrielle Ponciano
Management Information Systems Major
Gavin O'Connor
Finance and Computer Science
Henry Gewecke
Business
Irene Chang
Computer Science and Engineering
Jason Wu
Computer Science and Engineering
Julia Philbrick
Communications Major, Political Science and Entrepreneurship Minors
Kiara Pech
Economics Major
Lauren Raney
Political Science Major, Economics Minor
Liv de Jounge
Political Science Major, Economics Major, International Business Minor
Meg Rawson
Engineering and Web Design
Mia Flores
Political Science and Sociology
Michael Cooper
Economics Major, Business Analytics Minor
Miranda Roche
Business
Pragna Bura
Management Information Systems Major
Rahul Kaura
Computer Engineering Major
Sandro Biscocho
Accounting and Information Systems Major
Sarah Floyd
Finance Major
Sean Wu
Computer Science and Engineering
Sunny Tran
Finance Major, Business Analytics Minor
Taylor Ogata
Business
Winston Qiu
Accounting Major
Yash Gaur
Business Management Major
Zach Carlson
Engineering
Sharmila Bhatt
Psychology, Real Estate
Samira Billow
Biology Major, Public Health Minor
Ivan Carrasco
Mechanical Engineering
Kendall Cox
Undeclared
Jackson Dwelle
Biochemistry Major, Entrepreneurship Minor
Sabrina Gonzalez
Economics
Daniel Gustin
Major in Economics and Minor in Technical Innovation, Design Thinking, and Entrepreneurship
Erik Keifer
General Engineering
Patricia Landers
Biology and Child Studies Double Major
William Langdoc
Sociology Major
April Le
Ethnic Studies Major
Anushree Malhotra
Psychology and Child Studies Double Major, Public Health Minor
Ahnika Mangalick
Computer Science and Mathematics Major
Chelsea Nguyen
Business Management Major Technical Innovation, Design Thinking, and Entrepreneurship Minor
Kimberly Salas-Ruiz
Child Studies Major (pre-health track)
Abigail Sauter
Neuroscience Major
Kelly Zhou
Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Major
Applications are closed for the 2024-2025 cohort.
- Who can apply for this program?
SCU students who are rising Sophomores and Juniors (current First Year and Sophomores) are eligible to apply.
- What is the time commitment?
Students commit to a 3 unit course, offered 1 unit each quarter. There is a time commitment associated with and equivalent to a 1 unit course each quarter for a full academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring).
Additionally, students commit to presenting their solution during the following Fall.
- Can students participate in both Innovation Fellows and SCU Study Abroad?
Students interested in, or committed to, SCU Study Abroad, are encouraged to contact the Ciocca Center Advisor to discuss options.
- What topic will be the focus?
This program will be driven by the students and the groups engaged. The theme is Santa Clara University, and this is a great program for students who want to continue to improve and grow the SCU community.
- Has this course happened before?
As Design Thinking experts, the program continues to be improved upon.
A two year long version of this program is being offered to 16 undergraduate students. Additionally, a version of this program has been offered to graduate students in the ECP at SCU. An elective (non-credit) version has been offered for 4 years prior for undergraduates, the program has been well received by participants and students have asked for the creation of a larger for-credit version.
- What majors is this year long course open to?
This program is open to all majors and will be interdisciplinary.
Abem Lucas
CS and Engineering
Ash Uyematsu
Biology, Public Health, Japanese Minor
Brian Wiebe
CS and Engineering, Technical Innovation Minor
Camren Kremers
Finance, Real Estate Minor
Evan Baerg
Bio-Chemistry
Harvard Muhm
Business, French
Hriday Gurnani
Finance, Economics
Jonathan Santosa
CS and Engineering
Kaitlin Webster
Neuroscience, WGST
Karl Schumacher
Bioengineering, Electrical Engineering Minor
Khushboo Gupta
COEN, Design Thinking and Innovation
Leo Illing
Physics, Mathematics Minor, Art History Minor
Lillian Coan
Marketing
Nicolas Lyons
Business
Olivia Sargent
Biochemistry, Public Health Minor