Impact Innovation High School Scholars Program

July 28-August 1, 2025 Rose Hill

Non-Credit Course

Immerse yourself in a transformative five-day workshop this summer designed and taught by an award-winning social entrepreneur, where you'll master the art of crafting (social) entrepreneurial solutions to confront contemporary global challenges. Tailored for anyone driven by a desire to learn the mindsets and skill sets for enacting positive change, this course is a unique opportunity.

Cultivate and refine your impact innovation/ changemaking mindset while acquiring crucial skills in collaborative problem-solving, creative thinking, global citizenship, empathy, adaptive leadership, and more. 

Guided by dynamic instructors, you'll progress systematically—from delving into Sustainable Development Goals to pinpointing the specific issue you wish to address, designing your innovation concept, to making strategic marketing and financial decisions. The course culminates in the presentation of your innovation concept to a panel of experts, providing invaluable feedback and coaching.

Skills/Learning Outcomes

• Gain a foundational understanding of key concepts related to entrepreneurship, innovation and social, economic and environmental impact
• Learn how to collaborate effectively to diagnose problems and design solutions
• Learn and practice a variety of practical tools and resources for changemaking
• Learn entrepreneurship strategies based on the experiences of leaders, communities, and organizations from around the world
• Learn how to present innovations to potential collaborators and/or investors
• Learn how to get feedback and further develop ideas

Instructor Bio

Greg Van Kirk

Greg is a practicing social entrepreneur, educator, facilitator, and consultant. He’s a World Economic Forum "Social Entrepreneur of the Year (2012)" and an Ashoka Fellow. He's a former Ashoka Leadership Group Member where he led the Changemaker Schools initiative.

Over the course of over 20+ years, Greg’s founded, led, and/or consulted for dozens organizations in 20+ countries. He's designed (social) entrepreneurial experiences, taught courses, and led workshops for thousands of high school students, university students, and professionals. Apart from Fordham, he’s designed and taught social innovation courses at Columbia University, New York University, University of Maryland, Miami University, University of Wisconsin, and University of New Hampshire. Greg's led partnerships with universities including Cornell University, Duke University, University of Notre Dame, Northwestern University, and Stanford University. He's designed and led professional development/ experiential learning programs for organizations including Deloitte, Levi Strauss & Co., and Warby Parker. Greg recently published It’s What You Set in Motion: A Toolbox for Collaborative Changemaking.