Post-NSF funding, this program is now run by VentureWell and called the Pathways in Innovation program. Visit the home of the program at venturewell.org/pathways-in-innovation/.

About the Program

Today’s engineering students want to tackle challenges that have a global impact. They already gain a comprehensive technical education as undergraduates, but they also need a mindset and skill set to turn their ideas into practical solutions for real-world problems.

The Pathways to Innovation Program, created and run by Epicenter, was designed to help institutions transform the experience of their undergraduate engineering students and fully incorporate innovation and entrepreneurship into a range of courses as well as strengthen co- and extra-curricular offerings.

Participating schools assembled a team of faculty and academic leaders to assess their institution’s current offerings, design a unique strategy for change, and lead their peers in a two-year transformation process. Teams received access to models for integrating entrepreneurship into engineering curriculum, custom online resources, guidance from a community of engineering and entrepreneurship faculty, and membership in a national network of schools with similar goals.

During the course of the Epicenter grant, nearly 50 schools took part in the Pathways program.

 

Pathways '16 Teams
Binghamton University, SUNY
 
California State University, Northridge
 
City College of NY, CUNY
 
Florida A&M University / Florida State University
 
Grand Valley State University
 
Louisiana Tech University
 
Portland State University
 
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
 
South Dakota State University
 
University of New Hampshire
 
University of North Alabama
 
University of South Florida
 
Western Carolina University
 
Western Kentucky University
 

Pathways '15 Teams and Team Leaders

Case Western Reserve University
Lisa Camp and Malcome Cooke

Clemson University
John DesJardins and Matthew Klein

Colorado School of Mines
Mark Mondry

Florida Institute of Technology
Daniel Kirk and Beshoy Morkos

Hampton University
Eric Sheppard and Otsebele Nare

Illinois Institute of Technology
Dietmar Rempfer

James Madison University
S. Keith Holland and Robert Nagel

Loyola University Maryland
Suzanne Keilson and Robert Pond

Missouri University of Science & Technology
Bonnie Bachman and John Lovitt

New York Institute of Technology
Nada Assaf-Anid and Richard Simpson

North Carolina A&T
Bala Ram

Oregon State University
Sundar Atre

Southern Methodist University
Kate Canales

Temple University
David Brookstein and Keya Sadeghipour

Universidad del Turabo
Sandra Pedraza and Alizabeth Sanchez

University of Alabama - Birmingham
Alan Eberhardt and Molly Wasko

University of Delaware
Dan Freeman and John Rabolt

University of Hawaii at Manoa
Peter Crouch and Marcelo Kobayashi

University of Nebraska - Lincoln
David Keck and Ian Cottingham

University of North Dakota
Tim O’Keefe and Brian Tande

University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Ubaldo Córdova-Figueroa and Moraima De Hoyos

University of Texas - Arlington
Raul Fernandez

University of Texas - El Paso
David Novick

Washington State University
Howard Davis

Wichita State University
Steven Skinner and James Steck

 

Pathways '14 Teams and Team Leaders

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Bob Crockett 

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Yash Risbud

Howard University
Tori Rhoulac Smith

Michigan Technological University
Leonard Bohmann

New Mexico State University
Ed Pines and Patricia Sullivan

Tennessee Technological University
Stephen Canfield and Vahid Motevalli

Texas A&M University
Magda Lagoudas

University of California, Merced
Dan Hirleman and Tom Peterson

University of Massachusetts Lowell
Dan Sullivan

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Andrew Hardin and Brendan O’Toole

University of Pittsburgh
Larry Shuman and Mary Besterfield-Sacre

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Ilya Avdeev

 
Updates

14 Higher Education Teams Selected for Pathways to Innovation Program
Fourteen new teams have been selected to join the Pathways Program. Read more about the new teams »

Spotlight on Pathways Success in the City of Lights
In October 2015, Epicenter’s Pathways to Innovation Program held a workshop at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas exploring the vital relationship between institutions and their off-campus ecosystems. Read the article »

July Info Session Recording: 2016 Call for Proposals
Did you miss the July info session? Watch the recording here vimeo.com/epicenterusa/
pathwaysinfo

Call for Proposals: Pathways 2016
The Pathways to Innovation Program has opened a call for proposals for a group of up to 14 schools to take part in the third year of the program. The proposal deadline is September 25, 2015. Read the press release and download the Call for Proposals »

January Team Leader Workshop
Leaders from the 25 new Pathways teams gathered at Stanford University January 14-15 for an introduction to the program. View photos from the workshop »



New Pathways Schools
Congratulations to our 25 new Pathways 2015 schools! Read the press release »

NMSU Workshop
Pathways hosted a workshop at New Mexico State University in October 2014. View photos from the NMSU workshop »



Applications
Applications for Pathways 2015 were due October 10, 2014. Read the press release »

Phoenix Meeting
Fifty-four faculty and administrators met in Phoenix February 26-28, 2014, during which each school developed a plan to guide their efforts in the months ahead. View photos from the February 2014 meeting »



New Pathways Schools
The list of Pathways 2014 schools were announced on February 13, 2014. Read the press release »
 

In the News

WKU one of 14 schools selected for national innovation and entrepreneurship program - December 1, 2015

State selected for Pathways to Innovation Program - December 1, 2015

National Pathways to Innovation Program selects CCNY team - December 1, 2015

Mines Selected for National Engineering Innovation Program - December 1, 2015

NMSU joins initiative to retain STEM students through innovative orientation activities - September 8, 2015

NMSU And Howard University Team Up To Broaden Participation In Engineering - September 3, 2015

Forging new pathways, University of Delaware - March 17, 2015

Engineering to emphasize innovation in curriculum, Temple University - March 11, 2015

UPR impulsa la innovación entre sus alumnos - March 3, 2015

Wichita State aims to help students take lessons from the classroom to the workplace - March 2, 2015

Florida Tech Selected for National Innovation ProgramFebruary 19, 2015

RUM selected for NSF’s Pathways to Innovation program - February 17, 2015

Clemson selected for Pathways to Innovation Program - February 10, 2015

Missouri S&T earns spot in Pathways to Innovation program - January 27, 2015

Can engineers be entrepreneurial? James Madison University - January 27, 2015

Loyola selected to participate in NSF-funded Pathways to Innovation Program - January 23, 2015

New program brings together engineering, entrepreneurship efforts - January 20, 2015

NYIT Selected to Participate in Epicenter’s Pathways to Innovation Program - January 20, 2015

UAB one of 25 U.S. schools added in 2015 to innovation program for engineering students - January 20, 2015

Faculty selected for innovation, entrepreneurship project - January 20, 2015

Six picked for innovation, entrepreneurship project - January 18, 2015

UTEP joins select group of universities committed to advancing education in innovation - January 17, 2015

SMU Selected for NSF-Funded Pathways to Innovation Program - January 17, 2015

UTEP One of 25 Institutions Selected for Pathways to Innovation Program - January 16, 2015

Wichita State among 25 institutions picked for national innovation program - January 16, 2015

HU selected for Pathways to Innovation Program by the NSF-funded National Center - January 16, 2015

UAB among 25 U.S. institutions selected for NSF-funded Pathways to Innovation Program - January 16, 2015

Mines selected for Pathways to Innovation Program by NSF-funded Epicenter - January 16, 2015

NMSU College of Engineering associate dean selected for student outreach award - October 29, 2014

NMSU grant aims to boost minority transfer, retention in engineering - October 26, 2014

Aggies accept 48-hour invention challenge - August 4, 2014

Cooper Union Selected in First Cohort for NSF-funded Entrepreneurship Effort - April 29, 2014

NMSU selected to take part in NSF Pathways to Innovation - March 20, 2014

UWM to participate in national entrepreneurial program for engineers - March 18, 2014

Texas A&M selected to participate in Epicenter’s Pathways to Innovation program - March 6, 2014

UC Merced joins other campuses to encourage innovation - March 4, 2014

UC Merced Chosen as Pioneer for Entrepreneurial Program - Feb. 24, 2014

Howard Joins Two National Programs to Promote Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Feb. 21, 2014

TTU selected to join national leaders in engineering education - Feb. 18, 2014

 

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