FSU students and STARS members Alissa Ovalle, Chelsea Schneider, Hallie Lavery, Valeria Rodriguez and Natalie Quinchia traveled to the Santurce district of San Juan, Puerto Rico over spring break to explore technology usage, engage with local students, work on startup projects and more. The students, along with Entrepreneur-in-Residence Christine Nieves, fostered the College of Communication & Information’s relationship with the Universidad del Sagrado Corazon by giving presentations to student entrepreneurial classes about FSU programs, the STARS leadership model and how the College of Communication & Information builds outreach and STEM programs in K-12 schools. The group exchanged feedback on different ideas and kickstarted the development of a new application to improve interdisciplinary exchange programs that connect students to burgeoning projects.

Rodriguez shares, “As a future social entrepreneur and educator, I aspire to stay perpetually inspired. To do this, I work to create ecosystems that provide forums for individuals who are interested in intrapreneurship, global change and social innovation.”

The group from Florida State spent most of its time in Puerto Rico at an innovative area on campus called Neeuko. Neeuko is a new collaborative space designed for teams to work, seek mentorship and develop ideas.  Specifically, the group used design thinking methodology to ideate and propose a start-up in less than 48 hours. Spending time with the leaders of Santurce afforded insight on how to apply the ideas for the start-up to the local community.

Lavery, a dual major in MIS and International Affairs, explains, “At Neeuko, we worked with a group of professors, architects, innovators and entrepreneurs. They welcomed us into their space with open arms and provided bottomless resources for our learning and for an optimal experience.”

The women spent their first day in Puerto Rico immersing themselves in the culture by touring an environmental restoration project in Caño Martín Peña called Bicicaño and exploring the El Yunque rainforest. The experience helped them get to know both the community and each other.

Schneider, a dual major in ICT and English, shares, “This initial immersion was pivotal in our understanding of the community and culture, as well as our team building and bonding. Once you nearly slip down a waterfall with someone, you can count on them for just about anything.”

The group also met with several leaders of the Puerto Rico tech community who were eager to discuss startup culture, STEM education and design thinking methodology.

Ovalle, an IT major graduating in spring 2017, says, “The design thinking entrepreneurship program with the Universidad de Sagrado Corazon broadened my professional opportunities. As Florida’s Puerto Rican population is increasing, it is important to learn about the cultural differences when creating new technologies to meet the needs of a diverse group of people. Being a part of this program has opened my eyes to becoming an entrepreneur!”

At the end of the week, STARS spoke with the President and Provost of the Universidad as well as community influencers about how to foster an exchange program between Florida State University and the Universidad del Sagrado Corazon. They introduced mock-ups for their newly developed app called Commu and implored those present to help support and develop the exchange.

Nieves explains, “We launched and tested a transformational program for any student interested in making a difference in the world in a sustainable manner. The International Design Thinking Program is a testament to what can happen when two academic institutions venture into unknown territory with a common goal – to radically accelerate socially relevant, culturally sensitive, empathy-driven tech innovation. The result is a group of five young women from diverse backgrounds who went from zero to start-up in five days. We hope to make Tallahassee a hub for innovation. Programs like this one put FSU at the cutting edge of that movement and help students bend their notions of what is possible. During those five days I saw these young students push out of their comfort zone and exhibit outstanding leadership and entrepreneurial skills and execute with rigor and team spirit. I think we are on to something!”

The group left Puerto Rico as inspired and satisfied self-identifying entrepreneurs. STARS and Nieves are excited to be passionate about a project that will build a legacy of partnership and continued development. Quichia, an IT major, is especially excited about what the future holds with STARS.

She explains, “As a STARS leader, my focus lies in professional development and networking. Through STARS and the Association of IT Professionals (AITP), we host companies, workshops and networking events and serve as an employment pipeline for technology students. There is real work to be done here, there and in the spaces in between us. We are ready for whatever is next.”

The FSU STARS started working on campus in 2006 and started working in K-12 schools in Leon county the next year. The group currently visits schools across the state to promote FSU and programs within the College of Communication & Information. There’s a lot more excitement in the near future for this initiative. This fall, the STARS students will present the work from the Puerto Rico trip at the annual STARS conference in Atlanta. 51 STARS schools attend the conference.

Ebe Randeree, Associate Dean of the College of Communication & Information and the STARS academic liaison, says, “The partnership with Puerto Rico will be beneficial for our FSU students as they explore new ideas, solve problems, launch businesses and grow personally and professionally. I look forward to making this an annual exchange between academic institutions.”

To learn about getting involved with STARS, follow this link.