EUREKA! 2019 Interdisciplinary Collaborative Initiative for Social Change

October 31- November 2 was an intense weekend for the 24 selected RIT participants for the EUREKA! Blitz.

This EUREKA! event was led by three EUREKA! alumni/ CAD alumni: Ryan Sullivan, Tori Bonagura, and Courtney Smith.

The six teams did their research at the Veterans Outreach Center on South Avenue in Rochester. Their challenge was to address the prompt created by the VOC to find new ways to attract younger veterans/soldiers to visit the VOC and to utilize their range of services.

Teams began their process by touring the VOC, the VOC Store, the shelter for homeless veterans, and apartment complex that is managed by the Veterans Outreach Center to assist veterans.

The winning team's solution was selected by a team of judges that included Michael Kelly, Keli DiRisio, and Marianne Sernoffsky, Female Veteran and Family Outreach Program Manager of the Veterans Outreach Center.

The winning team, Archimedes, created a new social media strategy, a running group that wears VOC t shirts during its jogs, and a small gym facility in the VOC's Morale Center. This multi-faceted program will attract younger soldiers/veterans while promoting the services of the VOC in the community. Members of Team Archimedes included Maggie Blaisdell, Lydia Krogh, Isabella Maderia, Olivia Sanders, and Wystan Wang.

The objective of this annual event is to provide the opportunity for CAD and RIT students to work together in the pursuit of initiating social change through the power of design.

More information on the blitz is provided on eureka.cad.rit.edu
and in the 2015 video.

The entire EUREKA! group after the presentations.

Branding for EUREKA! 2019 was created by Ezra Boyd.

Janine Bushey gets her EUREKA! t shirt!

The facilitators for EUREKA! 2019 from left:

Courtney Smith, Tori Bonagura, and Ryan Sullivan.

Students listen to a VOC representative sharing information about the diversity of services provided by the center.

Teams tour the basement storage area in the shelter for Homeless Veterans.

VOC representative Marianne Sernoffsky chats with Patti Lachance before the presentations.

The facilitators sharing a light-hearted moment during the presentations.

Team Archimedes selling their concept to the crowd.

Judges after the presentation. From left: Michael Kelly, Marianne Sernoffsky, and Keli DiRisio.

Team Archimedes after the presentation. From left: Wystan Wang, Olivia Sanders, Isabella Madeira, Maggie Blaisdell, and Lydia Krogh.