Student Teams Compete in University of San Diego-Hosted Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge on Saturday

SAN DIEGO, June 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Students from seven countries and 13 universities will compete on Saturday, June 13 in the Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge -- a University of San Diego (USD)-hosted social venture pitch competition focused on innovative, student-led projects that promote sustainable change. 

The international teams of students will be competing for $58,000 in seed funding and other resources to turn their projects into reality. 

The Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge is committed to providing an educational pathway for these students to tackle the world's most pressing issues with creativity and collaboration.

"Innovation is more central now to imagine new possibilities and to change the world for the better. In a time of crisis, it's when we see innovation coming alive with initiatives that save people's lives, that meet the need for systemic change, that help us go to school even though we must keep our distance," said Patricia Márquez, Dean of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, one of the two schools at USD which hosts the competition. 

Examples of student projects range from an interactive, online platform that helps trauma survivors using science to a clean energy project that uses a storage device and solar panels to power homes. 

For the first year, the 2020 Global Finals will be a virtual experience for student innovators. The community can register for free here to watch the competition on Saturday, June 13 at 5 p.m. PDT. San Diego native, Cedrice Webber, a contestant on NBC's "The Voice", will close the program with an inspirational performance.

ABOUT USD'S FOWLER GLOBAL SOCIAL INNOVATION CHALLENGE
University of San Diego (USD)'s Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge is designed and hosted by USD's Center for Peace and Commerce – a joint partnership between the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies and the USD School of Business. The social venture pitch competition recognizes, resources, and rewards student-led social ventures focused on sustainable change. It started in 2011 with only USD students and expanded into a global pitch contest in 2018. Since the program's inception, winning teams have received more than $400,000 in seed funding for social ventures in over 17 countries.

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SOURCE University of San Diego