Reimagining a Platform for Student Innovation

I was approached by the Dean of the Lucas College of Business at a time when participation in the Silicon Valley Innovation Challenge (SVIC) had reached an all-time low of just 17 entries. Stepping in as Director, I revitalized the program, boosting student engagement to 189 entries in my first year and well over 200 in the years that followed. Industry involvement also grew exponentially through my professional connections, replacing a judging panel that had traditionally been limited to staff and faculty.

Over the next three years, I managed the program end-to-end: everything from forecasting budgets and writing grants to securing venues, coordinating catering, and designing marketing collateral. I conducted student focus groups to create a new logo and crafted all event materials, from tent displays and brochures to badges and award certificates. To prepare students for the showcase, I also hosted workshops that built their confidence in pitching, presenting, and networking with industry leaders.

Winners received cash prizes ranging from $1,200 to $5,000, giving them both seed funding and validation for their ventures. Most importantly, SVIC became a program that offered students real-world exposure, mentorship, and the thrill of seeing their entrepreneurial ideas come to life. After three successful years, I was able to hand off the challenge in a much stronger position than when I had received it.

Driving Innovation

Growing the Silicon Valley Innovation Challenge (SVIC)

Challenge

When the Dean invited me to step in as Director of the Silicon Valley Innovation Challenge (SVIC), he saw my background as uniquely suited to restructuring the program and elevating its impact. His charge was clear: increase student participation. At the time, involvement was low, and many students questioned why they should take on “extra work” outside of demanding class schedules. As a naturally curious, creative problem-solver, I embraced the challenge and set out to reposition SVIC as a valuable, career-accelerating experience that was worth their time and effort.

Strategy

At the core, students attend college to secure good jobs after graduation. With that in mind, I redesigned SVIC to give them direct access to industry leaders, mentors, and real-world opportunities, making the competition not just an academic exercise, but a launchpad for their future careers. My strategy focused on three levers:

Industry Engagement. Elevate faculty-only judging panels with executives, entrepreneurs, and hiring managers from companies like Cisco, Intel, and Microsoft. Students would gain meaningful mentorship and professional exposure.
Incentives that Matter. Increased the value of cash prizes, giving students a tangible incentive to invest effort and develop investor-ready business plans. Partnered with Ericsson and Cisco’s University Recruitment teams to host on-site interview tables, where students could submit résumés and receive practical career advice.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration. Partner with faculty “champions” across SJSU’s nine colleges to require or strongly encourage participation. Teams had to be cross-disciplinary with students from at least two different colleges.

Execution

Funding and Sponsorships. With limited budgets, I partnered with university administrators to write grants, engaged alumni, and secured sponsorships from major companies. Each of SJSU’s nine colleges contributed either funds or faculty advocacy.
Leadership Buy-In. I enlisted the support of the university president, who delivered the opening keynote at each event and personally visited student teams on the showcase floor, making students feel seen, valued, and motivated.
Student Preparation. Recognizing that most students had little experience with presenting or pitching an idea, I built a series of workshops covering elevator pitches, presentation skills, personal branding, and even basics like how to shake hands or dress for business-casual events. These sessions gave students confidence and elevated the professionalism of the competition.
Marketing and Design. As a creative, I led the design of all marketing collateral (signage, table tents, awards, and badges) giving SVIC a fresh, cohesive visual identity that matched the innovative spirit of the event.
Event Operations. I managed all logistics with a small team of two student assistants, overseeing everything from venue selection and accessibility to catering, invitations, and budget management.

Impact

Student Value. Participation grew as students came to see SVIC not as “extra work,” but as a unique career development opportunity.
Cross-Disciplinary Innovation. The strongest teams were often from cross-college partnerships, showing students that diverse perspectives and collaboration drive innovation and career success.
Industry Connections. Students built early relationships with leaders who could influence their career paths, well before graduation.
Institutional Recognition. SVIC became a flagship event at SJSU, supported by students, faculty, industry sponsors, and university leadership.

Logo Design

I’m especially proud of the new logo design. Instead of relying solely on input from staff, faculty, or administrators, I engaged directly with the target audience—the students—to learn what resonated with them. Their feedback shaped every stage of the process, and the final logo we selected is innovative, forward-looking, and a genuine reflection of the ideas they shared during focus group conversations.

Former Logo

The former logo had several design challenges. From a visual standpoint, the swoosh was an overused design element and didn’t convey a fresh or innovative identity. In fact, during a focus group interview, one student remarked that it reminded her of her mother's exercise program, Jazzercise, which was founded in 1969. This observation that underscored how dated the mark felt. In addition, the logo combined the SJSU lockup directly with the event identity, which went against university brand guidelines. Best practice requires a buffer to clearly separate the university mark from any program or initiative identity.

Moments that Mattered

Innovate. Network. Enlighten.

A few of my favorite moments and details that made the competition feel special for students, judges, and guests alike, showcasing how strong strategy, thoughtful design, and early planning can shape memorable experiences.

Conversation Starters

Table tents with unique curiosity-sparking questions helped students, judges, and guests break the ice. The prompts encouraged genuine conversation and made networking feel approachable and fun.

Industry Connections

By collaborating with Cisco’s University Recruitment team, we helped create a space for students to connect with recruiters, explore career paths, and practice professional interactions in a safe, supportive environment

Accessiblility

The event was designed to be accessible to all student populations, allowing everyone to participate fully. This included a student with cerebral palsy who went on to win Best Social Innovation, highlighting the importance of inclusive design in fostering success.

Confidence

Pre-event student workshops helped participants fully prepare, from refining their ideas to practicing presentation skills. By the time of the showcase, students arrived in business or business-casual attire, looking confident and ready to shine.

"Robot" Judge

Innovation extended even to judging! One judge participated remotely using a robotic platform that let him navigate the showcase floor and interact with students via video, bringing a whole new meaning to ‘hands-on’ judging.

Community

Networking and community weren’t just for students. Judges had a dedicated space to deliberate privately while also connecting and collaborating with each other.

Note

Samples from my career as the SVIC director are included here to showcase my creativity and approach my work. Please respect the time and thought behind them by not copying, sharing, or reusing without my written permission. Thank you.