10%

Gathering at the 'Roux MILE' to Learn Design Thinking

At the Roux Institute, Mitchell Scholars engage with NIMBLE Founder and CEO Mariette Wharton to help solve a crisis facing teen refugees in Kenya

By Mitchell Institute

July 24^th, 2023

Moving from theory to practice with design thinking

On a sweltering Saturday in mid-July, nearly 30 Mitchell Scholars came together at the Roux Institute in Portland for a hands-on start-up challenge to explore design thinking — a globally acknowledged, leading-edge process for complex problem-solving that can be leveraged in any field.

At the free, day-long, interactive event, Scholars spent the morning learning and practicing ideation skills, participating in a design-thinking crash course, and honing presentation skills in a Pitching 101 workshop. After lunch, they formed teams to develop an innovative solution to a real-world challenge: how to design an online learning system to meet the needs of 70,000 teens from several African nations, including Somalia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who are living in a UN refugee camp in Kenya. The program culminated in a mini-pitch competition, in which teams of Mitchell Scholars presented their online learning system concepts to Hubert Senga, founder and CEO of Generation Aid, who joined virtually from Kenya.

Gathering at the 'Roux MILE' to Learn Design Thinking

Once again, Mariette teaches Mitchell Scholars the NIMBLE way

Leading the design-thinking-based start-up challenge — and giving freely of her time and expertise for the second consecutive year — was Mariette Wharton (above), the founder of NIMBLE (the National Institute for Mentoring Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs).

Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, NIMBLE aims to inspire and empower young leaders with 21st-Century skills such as adaptability, empathy, teamwork, creative problem-solving, and mindfulness. NIMBLE mentors and trains future leaders through original, experiential workshops for leaders, as well as Innovation Labs and Innovation Tours with partner companies such as Logitech, Google, and Instagram. Led by Wharton, NIMBLE's team includes more than 40 CEOs and other executives, who volunteer their expertise in various fields such as business, mechanical engineering, physics, venture capital, marketing, operation, research, robotics, and theater.

As she did a year ago, Wharton traveled from California to meet and work with Mitchell Scholars as a generous gift to the Mitchell Institute and Scholars. And the close friend of Scholarship Director Kim Gustafson says the summer trip to Maine didn't disappoint.

"Once again, I met inspiring and incredible young leaders who are not only extremely engaged in the NIMBLE innovation challenges but also eager to apply new skills in meaningful ways in their careers, amplifying the impact of both the Mitchell Institute and NIMBLE," Wharton said. "The Mitchell Institute is highly invested in not only offering scholarships to college students but also in continuing to support Scholars in their leadership growth and ability to pursue successful careers after graduating. The impact of the Mitchell Institute is truly exhilarating, and I am excited to take part in it."

Scholars were drawn by the content, the community, and the camaraderie

Schuni Mutalenu (above), the 2022 Mitchell Scholar from Westbrook High School and rising sophomore Quantitative Social Science major with a concentration in Economics at Dartmouth College, says she was drawn to the "Roux MILE" event by her experience with last summer's NIMBLE Workshop at the Mitchell Institute as well as "the sense of community fostered by the Mitchell Institute." Plus, the event "aligned perfectly" with her academic and professional interests, which lie at the intersection of entrepreneurship and data science.

As for key takeaways, Mutalenu said the Roux MILE event taught her that individuals from diverse academic disciplines can benefit tremendously from design thinking and entrepreneurial workshops.

"The range of academic backgrounds represented was astonishing and included Scholars from the humanities and STEM. We also had a nurse join us," Mutalenu said. "This diversity showcased that entrepreneurship and design thinking have no boundaries and can be incorporated into any professional career. It inspired me to think beyond the confines of traditional academic paths and consider how I can infuse design thinking and entrepreneurship into my future goals."

Joe Grassi (above), the 2021 Mitchell Scholar from Mount View High School and rising junior Government major at Colby College, came uncertain if the event would align with his academic and career interests, but left with a deeper appreciation for entrepreneurship as a "practice and an intentional way of thinking."

Entrepreneurship is "not just random, eureka moments that people have," he said. "I had never really thought of entrepreneurship as a skill that needs to be practiced and refined, but after attending the event, I came away convinced that it is definitely not a coincidence that some people can come up with creative and new ideas, and turn them into real products or businesses."

For Ruth Griffith (above), the 2022 Mitchell Scholar from Piscataquis Community High School and rising sophomore Economics major at the University of Maine, the composition of the attendees as well as the lessons of the NIMBLE mindset illustrated the importance of surrounding oneself with people with diverse strengths, interests, and experiences.

"Everyone has different ideas and backgrounds, so (building on the diversity of strengths) results in a well-rounded team," Griffith said after the event. "I am excited to incorporate my new understanding of design thinking as needed to create innovative solutions to the challenges I'll face."

Pethuel Mutalenu (above), the 2019 Mitchell Scholar from Westbrook High School and recent Mathematics graduate of Bowdoin College, echoed Griffith's take on the merits of building teams with an eye toward "leveraging diverse strengths." Another key takeaway for Mutalenu is the importance of "embracing constraints" in the ideation phase of product development.

"Through a creative activity during the event, we explored the concept of constraints. We were asked to make as many different drawings as we could on paper. So I decided to write the alphabet," he explained. "Instead of focusing on intricate and detailed drawings, I realized the power of imposing constraints to generate a high volume of ideas efficiently. This lesson highlighted the value of time, energy, and attention-saving techniques within organizations."

Mutalenu says he was drawn to the program by its focus on the application of design thinking in entrepreneurship as well as its in-person format.

"As someone passionate about entrepreneurship, I have been exploring various avenues to enhance my business skills. Over the past year, I delved into online entrepreneurship through a business model called dropshipping," he said. "However, I realized the importance of in-person guidance and mentorship. The Roux MILE event presented an opportunity for me to learn valuable skills beyond what I could gain from a computer screen."

Pitching solutions to a person — and for a problem — on the other side of the world

For the closing activity — designing the NIMBLE online learning platform that will support teens living in Kenya's Kakuma Refugee Camp — teams of Scholars presented their concepts to Hubert Senga (above), the Kenya-based founder and CEO of Generation Aid, who joined virtually from East Africa. With the potential to impact the lives of tens of thousands of teens, Mitchell Scholars rose to the challenge.

Schuni Mutalenu shared that the team she was part of proposed an app similar to Khan Academy as a means of empowering teens with entrepreneurial skills.

"Through this platform, students would gain access to free knowledge resources and a professional network. They could participate in mentorship programs, improve their resumes, and engage in entrepreneurship and leadership activities," she explained. "Upon completion, they would receive certificates recognized by partnering companies and universities. The goal was to equip students in Kakuma with skills that transcend any specific academic path, enabling them to enhance their applications to colleges or trade schools."

Her teammate Griffith pointed to their group's proposal of using corporate partnerships to fund the mobile application that could deliver "accessible, downloadable, and self-paced content regarding design thinking," with the hope that "it could be a critical resource for Kenyan refugees who aspire to innovate."

Grassi said that after consulting with Senga via Zoom, he and his team realized that to be successful, their proposed resources must be "easily accessible and cover different topics that would be appealing and educational for the large number of students in the camp."

Thus, they chose to pitch a website featuring courses focused on entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, and networking. "We thought these four topics would be helpful skills for students to develop to prepare them for success in their endeavors after high school," he said.

The proposal from Pethuel Mutalenu's team focused on the development of a mobile-friendly app "with a simple design to accommodate the students' limited internet connectivity," he said. "Additionally, we suggested implementing immediate feedback surveys for short-term progress tracking and organizing pitching competitions to attract potential investors."

Senga watched it all (until 10 p.m. Kenya time) with gratitude for the ideas and a deep appreciation for the Scholars' commitment.

"The teams of Scholars had some great and amazing practical ideas for the NIMBLE online learning platform that really impressed me. They showed creativity, innovation, and passion for enhancing the learning experience. Their suggestions were based on solid research and user feedback, and they demonstrated a high level of creativity and professionalism," he said. "I'm so glad I had the opportunity to work with them and learn from them. I can't wait to see more of it."

As the teams ideated, Wharton (above) moved about the room, eavesdropping on discussions and asking guiding questions here and there to keep Scholars grounded in the parameters of the project. And what she witnessed exceeded her expectations.

"The NIMBLE approach includes what I have termed the nimble mindset, a set of leadership skills needed for success in today's AI-driven economy, including adaptability, empathy, self-awareness, inclusivity, and collaboration," she said. "The ideas the Scholar teams put forth embodied so many of these strengths, evidenced in their ideas to leverage existing high school teachers in the UN camp as ambassadors for the NIMBLE program, to encourage the refugee students to collaborate while working through the NIMBLE program rather than working in isolation on computers, and to form interest groups through the platform to connect students."

Despite their lack of prior experience with human-centered design thinking, the Scholars, said Wharton, "easily grasped and applied the concept of using empathy to deeply understand the users' needs."

For Schuni Mutalenu, that was the enduring lesson of the day.

"What stuck with me was the importance of empathizing with the people for whom we are creating solutions. Understanding their needs beyond what may seem obvious is crucial," she said. "It's not enough to have great ideas. Successful projects are built on meeting the needs of the people and bringing them something that truly resonates with and empowers them. I will tightly hold on to empathy as I embark on my own entrepreneurial journey."

Button Label

Story Told With

Start publishing stories like this