KEENzine2

19 ISSUE TWO transmitters, receptors, and alarm systems. Their solution was an onboard system that would alert drivers to the presence and direction of emergency vehicles, even if they’re listening to music or the radio. Besides earning top honors and winning a cash prize, the team was asked to present their concept via teleconference to Ford engineers and executives. “I had been nominated as the spokesperson for our group,” Mitrovich says, “so I was the one who had to thank everyone at Ford and describe our concept. At the beginning of the call, I heard each of the Ford divisions reporting in – Ford Europe, Ford Asia, and so on. I got super nervous, but my professor, Dr. Sridhar Condoor, took me aside to reassure me and said, ‘People don’t get opportunities like this very often – you have to step up and do it’... and I did. That was the moment that really impacted me for the rest of my college career. It was an awesome experience and the kind of opportunity that would not have been available to me without iScholars.” Mitrovich credits the interdisciplinary nature of the iScholars program with enhancing her curiosity and exposing her to what others were doing in different fields. “I began seeking my own opportunities in addition to those that came about through the program,” she notes. “If it was interesting to me, I always sought out more information – just more, more, and more.” Mitrovich’s fondest moments at SLU were those spent working side by side with peers. “Without the KEEN program, I never would have interacted with so many others who were in different class years or majors and who had different areas of interest and expertise. Every single one has helped me to be better and to find value in what others have to say.” Now Mitrovich is on a mission to instill that mindset in her students at Chicago’s Muchin College Prep, one of the high schools in the Noble Network of Charter Schools. As a new Teach for America corps member, Mitrovich feels prepared for the challenge. “Honestly, KEEN is at the heart of the class I’m teaching on teamwork,” she says. “No matter what challenge you’re facing, you can accomplish so much more by considering different perspectives. That’s what I learned from my college experience, and that’s what I want to convey to my own students.” iScholars is a student programwithin the Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology at Saint Louis University. Students learn by leading and develop entrepreneurial and innovation skills through community outreach, innovation leadership, creative thinking, and entrepreneurial projects. The programwas established in 2011 in conjunction with other KEEN-related activities. The university continues to develop iScholars for students who wish to take a deep dive toward developing an entrepreneurial mindset. Students must apply to become an iScholar. More than 30 students, ranging from freshman to seniors, have participated in the program. STUDENT PROFILE