Social Innovation Challenge

The Innovation Hub’s Social Innovation Challenge is an ideation competition where students or student groups compete to solve real-world problems. The goal of this program is to foster real-life, innovative solutions to specific challenges facing our communities. During the challenge, students or student groups will work as a team to develop an innovative approach, product, service, or program and present their ideas to be judged by a panel of innovative and entrepreneurial experts. The submission is an executive summary document that outlines the problem, solution, and implementation procedures you or your team are addressing (see competition guidelines for submission structure). The Innovation Hub’s Social Innovation Challenge will award a winning student group and runners up with cash prizes. 

Spring 2025 Challenge

Addressing Basic Needs Through Community-Driven Solutions

We are seeking practical applications, new regulations, changes to culture and societal attitudes, or changes to resources and technology that are solution-oriented. Some areas of focus relating to basic needs may include:

• • • • Awareness, Access & Advocacy
      • Equity & Diverse Identities
      • Public Policy & Perception
      • Reducing & Mitigating Risk Factors
      • Social Innovation & Structural Reform
      • Technological Resources

Stay tuned for our Fall 2025 Timeline!

Check Out the Submission Details Here

Meet the Spring 2025 Winners

Challenge: Addressing Basic Needs Through Community-Driven Solutions

The Spring 2025 Social Innovation Challenge invites students or student groups to propose innovative solutions around basic needs. A student perspective is imperative in the pursuit of ideas that are sustainable, innovative, grounded, and relevant in a rapidly changing world.

Kaiah Rivas won first place in the challenge for her proposal of HerHealth Affirmed. From her proposal: The name of my project is HerHealth Affirmed, an in person event held on campus for women to learn strategies that can help prevent and stop medical gaslighting from happening. The event is composed of two things: a community circle and making question cards for attendees to keep. The community circle portion will let women have the opportunity to discuss if they have ever
experienced medical gaslighting. They can share what they did in response and listen to guest speakers. The second portion of the event would be crafting question cards that attendees can refer to the next time they visit a doctor. On one side there will be question outlines such as asking for follow up tests to be done. On the other side there will be a statement that can be read in the instance that the doctor does not want to treat them.

Joshua Hoover was the first runner-ups with his proposal of NeuroStart: An Advocacy and Support Center for Autistic Students. From his proposal: Introducing NeuroStart: An Advocacy and Support Center for Autistic Students—a comprehensive campus initiative designed to enhance the quality of life for autistic students and support their transition to university. NeuroStart integrates key elements of traditional support groups, one-on-one therapy, and inclusive training, among other resources. By collaborating with existing campus services at CSUSM, such as Disability Support Services (DSS) and Student Health & Counseling Services (SHCS), NeuroStart aims to expand and strengthen the support network available to autistic students. 

Anali Flores was the second runner up in this challenge with her proposal of "Cougar Thrift". From Anali's proposal: The proposed solution to address the unmet basic need of clothing for college students at California State University San Marcos is a university thrift store— the “Cougar Thrift.” Inspired by similar social innovations utilized by a couple of universities, such as the University of Chicago (“reSTORE”), the Lewis & Clark College (“ReUse”), etc. The university thrift store would be run as a regular store, but provide free clothing for current CSUSM students.

Learn more about our past challenge winners.

Keep an eye out for the next upcoming challenge in Fall 2025.
Please review the Competition Guide.