Students from each university enroll in a special learning/independent course at their home institution. Over the years, the founding faculty of DFI have fine-tuned a structural pedagogy that is hybrid in nature and yields rich experiential outcomes. It begins with all participating students meeting in person to kick off the semester, meet their teammates, and understand the project details. This is followed by meeting weekly online as a large group for design studio lectures and critique sessions with leadership faculty from all four institutions serving as principal reviewers. Students are instructed in creative design-driven thinking processes, principles of interdisciplinary teamwork, and interdisciplinary project management. The students meet for a second time in person in the middle of the semester to share, iterate, and refine their design directions. The semester culminates with a final in-person summit where students gather to present their solutions to a jury of faculty.
Kevin Sargent (Wentworth)
Joel Iglesias Lopez (BC)
Sarah Yates (BC)
Falan Peters (Virginia Tech)
Jennifer Layer (Clemson)
Gianna Gioia (Wentworth)
Makayla Hickey (BC)
Valentina Berthin (BC)
Sarah Comer (Virginia Tech)
Eric Johnson (Clemson)
Julia Botros (Wentworth)
Catherine Grob (BC)
Aisha Ismael (Virginia Tech)
Andrew Fulmer (Clemson)
Corbin Duncan (Wentworth)
Wanda Aguillon (BC)
Alexander Broome (BC)
Sophia Ferrone (BC)
Ryzher Medina (Virginia Tech)
Rose Brokaw (Wentworth)
Callie Oxford (BC)
Andrea Rhee (BC)
Cassady Pope (Virginia Tech)
Kathryn Risola (Clemson)
Alyson Grovesteen (Wentworth)
Stephanie Silva (BC)
Brody Whetzel (BC)
Ethan Chi (Virginia Tech)
Gemma Parker (BC)
Jasper Chappell (Wentworth)
Elizabeth Payne (BC)
Christian Miranda (BC)
Matthew Ngango (Clemson)
Nora Hess (Wentworth)
Industrial Design
Kevin Sargent is from Gloucester, Massachusetts. He is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Transformative Educational Studies, History
Joel Iglesias Lopez is from Belmont, Massachusetts. He is a sophomore at BC studying Transformative Educational Studies, with a Special Education concentration, and History.
Applied Psychology and Human Development
Sarah Yates is from Pasadena, California. She is a sophomore at BC studying Applied Psychology and Human Development, with a minor in Design Thinking and Innovation.
Mechanical Engineering
Falan Peters is from Roanoke, Virginia. She is a sophomore at Virginia Tech studying Mechanical Engineering.
Architecture
Jennifer Layer is from Sarasota, Florida. She is in the final year of her master's program in Architecture at Clemson.
Industrial Design
Gianna Gioia is from West Newbury, Massachusetts. She is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Applied Psychology and Human Development
Makayla Hickey is from Norfolk, Massachusetts. She is a junior at BC studying Applied Psychology and Human Development.
Transformative Educational Studies
Valentina Berthin is from La Paz, Bolivia. She is a senior at BC studying Transformative Educational Studies.
Accounting Information Systems
Sarah Comer is from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a sophomore at Virginia Tech studying Accounting Information Systems.
Architecture
Eric Johnson is from Royersford, Pennsylvania. He is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Industrial Design
Julia Botros is from Westford, Massachusetts. She is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Economics
Catherine Grob is from Westwood, New Jersey. She is a junior at BC studying Economics.
Computer Science
Aisha Ismael is from Alexandria, Virginia. She is a sophomore at Virginia Tech studying Computer Science.
Architecture
Andrew Fulmer is from Irmo, South Carolina. He is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Industrial Design
Corbin Duncan is from Asheville, North Carolina. He is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Sociology
Wanda Aguillon is from Houston, Texas. She is a senior at BC studying Sociology.
Human-Centered Engineering
Alex Broome is from Nashville, Tennessee. He is a junior at BC studying Human-centered Engineering.
Neuroscience
Sophia Ferrone is from Manhattan, New York. She is a sophomore at BC studying Neuroscience.
Mechanical Engineering
Ryzher Medina is studying Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech.
Industrial Design
Rose Brokaw is from Woodinville, Washington. She is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Applied Psychology and Human Development
Callie Oxford is from Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a junior at BC studying Applied Psychology and Human Development.
Applied Psychology & Human Development, Global Public Health & The Common Good
Andrea Rhee is from Haymarket, Virginia. She is a senior at BC studying Applied Psychology & Human Development and Global Public Health & The Common Good.
Mechanical Engineering
Cassady Pope is from Newport News, Virginia. She is a junior at Virginia Tech studying Mechanical Engineering.
Architecture
Kathryn Risola is from Long Island, New York. She is in the second year of her master's program in Architecture at Clemson.
Industrial Design
Alyson Grovesteen is from Mason, New Hampshire. She is a senior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Communications
Stephanie Silva is from Long Branch, New Jersey. She is a senior at BC studying Communications.
Transformative Educational Studies, Applied Psychology and Human Development
Brody Whetzel is from Salem, Oregon. He is a junior at BC studying Transformative Educational Studies and Applied Psychology and Human Development.
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Ethan Chi is from Haymarket, Virginia. He is a senior at Virginia Tech studying Industrial and Systems Engineering on the pre-med track.
Psychology
Gemma Parker is from Boston, MA. She is a senior at BC studying Psychology.
Industrial Design
Jasper Chappell is from Yarmouth, Maine. He is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
International Studies
Liz Payne is from Wilmette, Illinois. She is a junior at BC studying International Studies.
Cybersecurity
Christian Miranda is from Boston, Massachusetts. He is studying Cybersecurity at BC.
Architecture
Mathew Ngango is from Kampala, Uganda. He is in the third year of his master's program in Architecture at Clemson.
Industrial Design
Nora Hess is from Haverhill, Massachusetts. She is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.