Innovation Challenge

Get ready for this uniquely Smith learning experience that challenges you to blend your innovative interests with your academic pursuits. Grab a friend, deeply explore a problem, design a solution that aligns with at least one global development goal, and showcase your creativity for the community.

The Co-Innovate for Change Challenge

Friday, April 12, 2026

The Conway Center issues yearly keyword challenges where interdisciplinary teams of Smith undergraduate students tackle real-world issues. Over the course of the spring, you’ll unleash your creativity, explore problems, and showcase your United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) aligned solution while developing your social change-maker skills. 

The culminating event—Joypalooza—each April is not just about the $50,000 award pool, it’s about the recognition of your journey of discovery and learning throughout the experience.

Joypalooza 2026 will take place on Friday, April 12 from noon to 6 p.m.

2026 Keyword: Imagination

Undergraduate students are challenged to investigate the root causes of a global, national, or local problem to surface unheard voices and explore lived experiences before using your imagination and future thinking to design bold, impactful solutions.

Projects may take the form of for-profit ventures, social enterprises, public campaigns, physical or digital products, services, apps, experiences, toolkits, policy proposals, artworks, speculative artifacts, community-based initiatives, educational resources, games, installations, or cross-disciplinary collaborations—anything that combines imagination and impact to shape a better tomorrow.

All projects must align with at least one UN Sustainable Development Goal.

Dive In

Ruha Benjamin says imagination is a way to challenge unfair systems. She calls it a resource, a battleground, and a place to rest. In our collective imagination, we can make sense of the world and we can remake it. Imagination helps us ask “what else is possible?” Futures thinking helps us look at what’s happening now and ask “where might things go?” Together, they let us question what exists and explore what could be different. They help us see problems clearly before we design new solutions.

Through the Co-Innovate for Change Challenge, you work to develop your imagination and future-thinking skills. First, you need to look at a real problem and try to understand where it came from and who it affects. Then, you imagine what could change? What would a better version of this look like—in five years, or fifty? And then you design something real that helps get us toward the version of the future that you imagine.

The goal of your journey through the Imagination Challenge is to start simply, imagine better, and then take action.

  • Dream Team: Partner with 1–4 other students who represent at least one major that differs from yours. If you have not yet declared a major, you will need to find team members pursuing study outside of your current course departments.
  • Impactful Solutions: Identify a problem and design a solution that ensures that everyone, regardless of background or identity, has the opportunity to live with dignity, security and equality.
  • Global Awareness: Ensure your project aligns with global sustainable development ideals.
  • Creativity Unleashed: Flaunt your innovative thinking and dedication to making a positive change.
  • Scale Up: Think big and project how your idea could create substantial impact

Pathfinders: This track emphasizes storytelling. You’ll participate in panels where you’ll share reflections on lessons learned and highlight how participation has impacted your personal development.

Changemakers: This track focuses on startup success. You’ll pitch your actionable, financially sustainable solutions with the goal of securing support and investment for scalable impact.

  • Deadline for Intent to Participate: February 13, 2026 
  • Milestone 1 Deadline: February 20, 2026
  • Milestone 2 Deadline: March 6, 2026 
  • Milestone 3 Deadline: April 3, 2026 
  • Final Milestone (Joypalooza): April 10, 2026 from noon to 6 p.m.

Over the course of the Justice Challenge, your team will be scored according to the following rubric:

  • Collaborative Brilliance: How well are your team members working together?
  • Commitment to Change: To what degree is your team demonstrating dedication to creating a positive and lasting impact?
  • Financial Sustainability: To what extent has your team planned for near- and long-term financial support for the project?
  • Global Alignment: How effectively does your project contribute to global sustainability goals?
  • Innovative Spirit: How creatively did your team approach the problem?
  • Lessons Learned: How well is your team highlighting lessons learned and insights gained throughout the process?
  • Progressive Journey: How well is your team showcasing progress, acknowledging pivots and learning?

Resources

Photo by Erin Long

Past Challenges and Winners

2025 Justice Challenge

Students cultivated projects that addressed systemic injustices and inequalities (e.g., food, health, tech, wealth justice, etc.). They had to consider tackling not only the immediate needs of impacted communities, but also promoting long-term sustainability, and align projects with at least one of the environmental, economic, or social dimensions of the UN SDGs.

Pathfinders

Best in Show: LER NYAKO
Florence Auma ’28, Clare Njoroge ’28

Runner Up: CRESCENDO
Nargiz Akkmetova ’28, Handi Lu ’25, Helen Zhou ’28

Honorable Mention: HEN Collective
Alejandra Garcia-Pollis ’27, Iris Liu ’27, Madeline Mayes ’27

Judges’ Choice

GROW
Audrey Banie ’27, Pokuaa Adwoa Boakye ’27

Changemakers

Best in Show: AESOP (Afghan Education Student Outreach Project)
Margot Audero ’28, Winta Kebede ’AC, Husna Sepehre Ahmadi ’AC

Runner Up: SEEDMATCH
Sonora Halili ’25, Ally Tutay ’25

Honorable Mention: Justice Through Literacy
Olohi John ’27, Shalom Mhanda ’25

2024 Joy Challenge

Students cultivated innovative projects that ushered in joy while contributing to the advancement of at least one of the 17 UN SDGs.

Best in Show: Mowana
Tridia Kabila ’26 and Eugenia Rogers ’25

Runner Up: Friends Beyond Borders
Joanne Lee ’27 and Juliana Makonise ’25

Honorable Mention: JOY Incubator for Women
Britney Sandra Akwan ’27 and Glory Divine Yougang Tahon ’26

Judges’ Choice: Building Benches & Community
Emma Merchant ’24 and Emily Swindell ’24

Judges’ Choice: The mini-FLUPSY
Lu Brownstein ’24, Sarah Kam ’24, and Leah Marville ’24

People’s Choice: PYX Boxing
Chaira Harder ’25, Sarah Mian ’26, and Lala Rukh ’25

People’s Choice: Trade Trade Board!
Ariel Benjamin ’25, Matilda Boal ’25, and Malika Gottfried ’25