During summer 2021, Abbey Kampel ’23 participated in the 2021 GCSP Entrepreneurial Experience at Arizona State University to explore the theme of health from the perspective of the Grand Challenges Scholars Program. New to entrepreneurship, Abbey made discoveries that ignited a new passion for innovation.
In summer 2021, Arizona State University (ASU) hosted forty students from across the nation to participate in the 2021 GCSP Entrepreneurial Experience to explore the theme of health from the perspective of the grand challenges scholars program. Fifteen institutions were awarded spots for undergraduate engineering students participating in the GCSP program. As a biomedical engineering and GCSP student, I was honored to be offered a spot in the summer program.
I had little experience in the fields of business and entrepreneurship before this summer. During this program, I collaborated with students from several other institutions to research and design a novel solution and a business plan for a company in need of a prototype. The unique entrepreneurial experience focused on applications in the healthcare field and allowed for project-based learning. I was able to delve into the world of entrepreneurship starting from the very basics of understanding the problem, to the final stretch of designing a prototype solution for our client.
One aspect of the program that stood out to me was the collaborative nature. I worked on a team with two other undergraduate engineering students and we worked closely with our engineering mentor, business mentor, and client (Allstate) to develop a product/service to address the problem. The program encouraged us to look at the problem through various lenses, including an economical, an environmental, and a social perspective. I liked the emphasis on viewing the problem from different perspectives, which is something I plan to apply to problems I encounter in the future, whether those be during my time as an undergraduate or throughout my future career.
Another impactful aspect of the program were the connections I made with fellow students as well as mentors in the GCSP community. The program allowed for open discussion and the opportunity for ideas to flow without immediate judgement. The teamwork skills I gained this summer will stay with me through the years to come.
Abbey Kampel ’23 double majors in Biomedical Engineering and Psychology. Her entrepreneurship component for the Grand Challenges Scholars Program focuses on designing and developing a prototype to address a work-life balance problem for the company Allstate, alongside a team of mentors and fellow engineering students.
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