Don't Wait for the Future, Create it 🚀

The world is masked in uncertainty. Let's build it back up.

The world is masked in uncertainty right now. We aren't sure what the economy will look like a week from now, let alone a year. We aren't sure how the second or third order effects of the pandemic will play out. And we aren't sure if the "normal" we were so used to is ever really coming back.

Yet, at the same time, what's important in life is becoming more certain every passing day. The realization that it is our families, our friends, and the impact we are able to make in the world that truly creates meaning and gives us purpose has never been more clear.

Although we aren't sure what the future will hold - we don't need to sit back and wait for it to happen. We all can play a role in creating the future we want with the actions we take today, the relationships we develop over time, and the ideas we are able to bring to life. We look forward to creating this future with you all! 

This communication will include a variety of media dedicated to the topic of innovation across many spaces. The challenges in our society are complex — being the difference takes a community of forward thinking individuals who challenge the assumptions of today to create the future of tomorrow. Thanks for joining us on this journey!

🎙️ Innovators on Tap Podcast — On the latest episode of Innovators on Tap, we hear from MU students Jess Thayer, Louis Finney, Paula Van Camp, and Riley Dowdle as they develop N95 masks for Guatemala, tutor younger students over Zoom, work on designing ventilators, and offer their own advice on finding opportunity during this crisis. Kate Trevey, Director of the E-Lead program, also offers her insights on vulnerability and team building. Listen here.

📉 Innovating Through a Crisis — Chuck Swoboda, Marquette's Innovator-in-Residence, was interviewed for an article published in CIO magazine about the six ways to innovate through a crisis. "A crisis creates a lot of problems, not to mention a lot of fear and uncertainty, but a crisis can also remove boundaries normally part of business and allow for innovation." Read it here.

🤹 Leadership in Challenging Times — Ben Correia-Harker, Associate Director of Marquette's E-Lead program, wrote about practicing and teaching leadership education in these challenging times. The E-Lead program is a three year, curricular innovation program designed to help undergraduate students create value and bring about positive change. Check out the article here.

🏀 Going Beyond Basketball — Steve Wojciechowski, or Coach Wojo, was one of the first guests on the Innovators on Tap podcast. You can read an article based on that conversation that highlights the power of innovation in any industry, how he determines if someone has the will to win, and the lessons he hopes to imprint that go beyond the game of basketball. Find it here.

🏠 Seeing Something Bigger Than The Barn - Marquette alumni John Burke, CEO of Trek Bicycles, and his son Richie Burke, founder of GoGeddit Marketing & Media, discuss why innovation is fundamentally about people, the benefits of privately held companies, and their own definitions of leadership. You can find a recap of the conversation here.

If you have other content you think would be a great addition or want to help build innovation alley alongside us, let's talk! We would love to feature and highlight great change-makers in and around our community. Let’s go create the future 🚀