All around the University the school is buzzing with students. There is a special group of 37 freshmen living up in Sutherland Hall under the umbrella of Innovation. The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Living Learning Community (I&E LLC) is a first for Pitt, a collaborative effort between the Schools of Arts & Sciences, Business, and Engineering. The Innovation Institute is thrilled to be a part of this I&E LLC.
We met the I&E LLC students for the first time this week… and I was captivated by them and the energy they exuded.
While watching an experiential learning prototype exercise, led by Professor Joe Samosky, I was struck by how the students were unbounded by rules that can restrict the innovative process. They embraced experimentation, and it reminded me of a principle of Taoism: “Pu,” or what is referred to as the Uncarved Block in “The Tao of Pooh.” It basically means having a sense of unlimited possibility. What a wonderful mantra for the start of the school year. As these young innovators set out on their paths, we are excited to see where the unlimited possibilities lead them, anxious to help them on their way, and a little hopeful that some of their sense of possibility rubs off on us.