In 2021, the UGA Office of the President partnered with the Clarke County School District to develop Innovate “U” to empower youth to solve real business challenges through leadership and innovative problem solving, with the help of peer mentors and local business professionals.
Faculty from the Fanning Institute helped 9th-11th grade students develop leadership skills they would need to work effectively within a team: collaboration, communication and conflict resolution among others. Meanwhile, faculty with the UGA Entrepreneurship Program, located within the Terry College of Business, led the students through a design thinking process that helped them develop innovative solutions through a client-centered process focused on the needs of the people in the communities they were trying to help.
For more information on starting a similar program in your community, contact Lauren Healey.
Click here to download the 2022 Innovate U mentor application
