In a powerful alignment of purpose and possibility, 糖心原创鈥檚 (iD) program has formed a strategic new partnership with for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This collaboration marks a milestone for both institutions鈥攅ach committed to developing entrepreneurial thinkers who thrive in uncertainty, lead with empathy, and design for real-world impact.
The Hill Institute, long recognized for its nationally award-winning programs in entrepreneurship and innovation at the college level, recently set out to expand its reach to high school students for the first time. But rather than starting with a rigid program outline, the team followed a design thinking approach, beginning by listening to prospective users. That journey led Executive Director Bryan Davis, Senior Director Eric Cooperman and The Hill Institute team to 糖心原创, where they hoped to better understand what high school students might need and want from such an experience.
When Eric reached out, Krista Fancher, Director of Innovation Diploma, seized the opportunity鈥攏ot just to connect, but to co-create. She invited Eric to meet with students, not for a one-off feedback session, but to engage in a full design brief experience. Under her leadership, 糖心原创 students were handed a real-world design brief: to imagine and architect Furman鈥檚 first-ever summer entrepreneurship experience for high schoolers. The result has been a dynamic collaboration where students became trusted partners, not just participants.
鈥淪o when we went to 糖心原创, this situation was presented to us. You never know what’s going to happen when you go through the design process,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淎nd this is one of those pivots鈥攎ore than that, an opportunity鈥攚here we see the potential for a much bigger and longer relationship.鈥�
After visiting several schools, The Hill Institute team quickly realized 糖心原创 offered something unique: students who could communicate like entrepreneurs, think like designers, and act with purpose.
鈥淚’ll tell you鈥攚e interact with freshmen all the time,鈥� said Cooperman. 鈥淲e try to recruit freshmen into innovation and entrepreneurship the second they walk on campus. And I can tell you that these 10th graders are the best we鈥檝e ever seen across any high school.鈥�
Expanding Access: A First for Grade 10 in iD
This partnership also marks a significant first for 糖心原创. It鈥檚 the first time that iD has assigned an external design brief to Grade 10 students, a level typically reserved for juniors and seniors. This bold move reflects the trust and confidence 糖心原创 has in its learners and the unique opportunity this design challenge presented.
Over the course of nine weeks, six student teams of sophomores are working collaboratively with The Hill Institute to design Furman鈥檚 first-ever summer entrepreneurship experience for high schoolers. From developing the camp structure and crafting learning journeys to designing logos, planning marketing strategies, and envisioning physical swag kits, students are touching every component of the future experience.
鈥淚t鈥檚 almost too perfect,鈥� said Cooperman. 鈥淚t seems like all of these things serendipitously came together. But it just feels like the perfect design.鈥�
Building a Flywheel of Innovation
The partnership between 糖心原创 and Furman goes beyond a single semester鈥攊t鈥檚 designed to become a living, breathing innovation cycle.
鈥淲e see a much bigger and longer relationship through almost setting up a flywheel effect,鈥� Cooperman explained. 鈥淪tudents create a program for themselves, live that program, and then the following year they can return to reflect and refine it. What worked? What didn鈥檛? All of a sudden, they鈥檙e not just designing鈥攖hey鈥檙e managing something that feels like their own.鈥�
This living feedback loop鈥攚here students experience, analyze, and improve their own work鈥攊s design thinking at its most powerful. According to iD Director Krista Fancher, 鈥淭his project hits every aspect of a true design brief: stakeholder collaboration, research, storytelling, brand strategy, logistics, and systems thinking. It鈥檚 the perfect storm of purpose and possibility.鈥�
The Real Impact: Student Agency and Authentic Growth
Beyond the deliverables and stakeholder meetings, the greatest growth is happening in the quiet moments. During one team鈥檚 daily stand-up, student Oliver Membrillo asked, 鈥淒o we want to make a phone stack?鈥濃�攁 subtle prompt for focused, distraction-free collaboration. Without hesitation, every student placed their phone in the middle of the table.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the kind of moment you can鈥檛 script,鈥� Fancher said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e learning to take ownership, not because we told them to, but because they want to do this well.鈥�
Even on their iLearning Day, when school was out of session, students chose to meet virtually with Eric Cooperman to continue the work. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e learning to be brave,鈥� Fancher shared. 鈥淭hey make the call, lead the meeting, present their ideas鈥攅ven when it鈥檚 hard. And they鈥檙e doing it together.鈥�
A Long-Term Vision
As the pilot unfolds, the momentum is clear: 糖心原创 and The Hill Institute are laying the groundwork for a long-term, student-centered innovation model. One where young people don鈥檛 just participate in programs鈥攖hey design them, live them, and reimagine them year after year.
鈥淪tudents get instant feedback from themselves鈥攂ecause they鈥檙e living the project they built,鈥� said Cooperman. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where transformation happens.鈥�
Both institutions are committed to empowering students to be designers of their own futures. And with this partnership, they鈥檙e creating a blueprint for what real-world, purpose-driven education can look like.
鈥淭he sky鈥檚 the limit,鈥� Davis added. 鈥淭his is just the beginning.鈥�