The Emerging Community of ChangeMakers From Series to Scholars

Jack Pearson (CBA & FHC '25) receives his ChangeMaker Scholar graduation stole

The growing community of ChangeMakers from the Big Idea Center proves that providing the right environment, resources, and mindset enables students from any background to develop the skills and confidence to create meaningful impact and positive change.  

After successfully piloting the ChangeMaker Series last spring, the Big Idea Center launched its new ChangeMaker Scholar Recognition Program this fall, welcoming a cohort of 14 dedicated students from the spring Series. At the final Fall 2024 Changemaker Series session, two inspiring ChangeMakers, Jack Pearson (CBA & FHC ’24) and Jaspreet Singh (DSAS ’22, ENGR MS ’24), were awarded full Scholar status and received their Certificate of Achievement along with graduation regalia to showcase their journeys at their respective ceremonies this December! 

The ChangeMaker Experience

The ChangeMaker journey begins with the ChangeMaker Series, a 5-session, body-of-knowledge masterclass where students meet and hear from individuals who have created their own opportunities to be the change they want to see in the world. The students who complete the ChangeMaker Series are provided a chance to apply their innovation knowledge in real-world circumstances through immersive experiences and exploration opportunities by participating in the ChangeMaker Scholar Program. As students progress through the Scholar Program, they build a unique portfolio of network connections, creative materials, and demonstrated experiences that prove invaluable when engaging with prospective employers and industry professionals.  

This fall, 14 more students completed the ChangeMaker Series, each earning a Certificate of Completion and invitation to join the Fall 2024 Scholar cohort.

Fall 2024 ChangeMaker Series Certificate of Completion Recipients:

Ahmed Alshabanat, Ali Siddiqui, Andrew Fitzpatrick, Ella Mizrahi, Frank Chao-Yuan Chang, Irene Yarovoi , Jarred Smith, Jennifer Petrie-Signore, Joe Pearson , Phillip Fry, Reid Schryer, Shreya Karnam , Sungwon Sim, Tahere Mokhtari

Their backgrounds, ranging from undergraduates to PhD candidates, from arts to engineering, represent an excitingly emergent, cross-sectional desire to explore how the skillsets and mindsets of innovators and entrepreneurs can be applied across Pitt’s academic community:  

The ChangeMaker journey is an opportunity to become the kind of person who sees possibiltiies where others see barriers. As Jack Pearson (CBA & FHC ’24, ChangeMaker Scholar ’24) reflects, “You have to be consistently stepping up to the plate and trying to push the boundaries to actually make any change. It’s great, as part of the program for the past year or so, just being surrounded by other people that think similarly and want to make change for themselves.” *

Creating Personal Impact & Community

The ChangeMaker Scholar community represents a new approach to innovation education at Pitt – one that welcomes all students, regardless of their chosen courses of study, to explore what innovation and entrepreneurship mean for them. Within the Big Idea Center’s supportive ecosystem, students are driven to actively engage with others who have ideas about changing technology, changing research, and other forms of positive change. Personal discovery happens not in isolation, but through rich interactions between peers from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. For Jaspreet Singh (DSAS ’22, ENGR MS ’24, ChangeMaker Scholar ’24), the program revealed unexpected connections between past experiences and future possibilities:  

"There are things that I learned years ago in high school, or I learned in undergrad when I was taking theater classes or neuroscience classes that are so applicable to the way that I think about solving problems now."

Jaspreet’s experience revealed that beginning a new journey wasn’t about starting over, but about discovering new ways to appreciate and apply her existing background of experiences and find meaningful opportunities to develop new skills.  

The mindsets and capabilities developed through the ChangeMaker journey become part of each student's permanent toolkit – adopting new skills, perspectives, and approaches that enhance their ability to create positive change in any future endeavor. These fundamental skills in seeing opportunities, connecting diverse ideas, and taking innovative action serve students long after their time at Pitt, enriching whatever paths they choose to pursue. 

 Jaspreet Singh (DSAS ’22, ENGR MS ’24) wears her distinguishing ChangeMaker Scholar regalia

By creating this inclusive space where any student at any level can explore what change-making means for them, the Big Idea Center continues to foster new generations of problem-solvers where their own visions for change are respected, and they can find a place for belonging. Whether they want to launch startup ventures, transform existing organizations, revolutionize healthcare, reimagine education, or forge sustainable solutions for our planet, students who chose to become ChangeMakers step into a new world of opportunities with a sense of ownership and agency over their path to create positive impact.     

* Some quotations in this article were edited for clarity.

Interested in being a ChangeMaker?

Start by participating in the Spring 2025 ChangeMaker Series! Applications open in early January. Participating in and completing the ChangeMaker Series is a prerequisite to joining the full ChangeMaker Scholars Program.  

Learn more about the ChangeMaker Series and Scholars Program