During the week of March 26, 2019, FIU hosted its inaugural Changemaker Week, an opportunity to learn about driving social change through innovation and entrepreneurship. The initiative, which attracted 400 participants, was spearheaded by the Office of the Provost in partnership with The Center for Leadership and Service, the Honors College, the Office of Engagement, Start UP FIU, the Student Government Association, and our Office of Global Learning Initiatives.
Throughout the Changemaker Week, students were able to participate in a number of events, including a Global Learning Solutions Fair in which community partners such as UNICEF USA Miami, Peace Corps, Immigrant Resource Center, RESULTS, E-SToPP, Engage Miami, City Year, Breakthrough Miami, and International Solidarity for Human Rights visited FIU to offer volunteer and internship opportunities to our students. “Attending this fair is a great opportunity to come and learn about who to help and how to help,” said Tacha Cius, a Global Learning Medallion student who came all the way from the Biscayne Bay Campus to the Modesto Maidique one because she was really excited to learn more about community engagement.
Additionally, students were invited to attend the GOJA-iChange FIU Social Innovation Challenge Final Pitch Day, where competitors pitched their innovative solutions to social problems. Among the finalists pitching their ideas were Luisana Zambrano, a Global Learning Medallion student who is dedicated to empowering immigrants to open their own businesses; Yashaswi Tapadia, also a Global Learning Medallion student who is committed to bringing greenhouse technology to schools in India; Kennedy Villard whose app addresses traffic and parking issues on campus. Kennedy is also part of the Global Learning Medallion, a hub for the next generation of global citizens.
The Changemaker Week ended with a trip to Venture Cafe where students were exposed to Miami’s innovation community. The organizers hope to continue this initiative for years to come and attract even more participants from FIU and beyond.