Students from each university enroll in a special learning/independent course at their home institution. Over the years, the founding faculty of DFI has 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.
Gianna Arquilla (Clemson)
Sophia Ferrone (BC)
Aisha Ismael (Virginia Tech)
Marie Landgraf (Clemson)
Dominique Williams (BC)
Christy Chen (BC)
Jessica Gray (Clemson)
Jack Grimes (Clemson)
Seho Lee (BC)
Andrew MacKenzie (Wentworth)
Micaiah Brown (Clemson)
Pablo Colon-Quinones (BC)
Kaylin Denton (Clemson)
Andrew Fonticoba (BC)
Nolan Hilliard (Wentworth)
Kyan MacLeod (Wentworth)
Ayan Nawaz (Virginia Tech)
Oliver Peck (BC)
Brody Whetzel (BC)
Kenna Zeitz (Clemson)
Kate Bishop (BC)
Luke Esparza (Clemson)
Anna Grabowski (Virginia Tech)
Aaron Morin (BC)
Izzy Stojanov (Wentworth)
Matteo Aubin (Wentworth)
Maria Peterlin (BC)
Adelaide Shirley (Clemson)
Zachary Wells (Clemson)
Carter Frato-Sweeney (BC)
Kailee McPhillips (Wentworth)
Markeese Mitchell (BC)
Shamitha Nandi (Clemson)
Cara Welker (Clemson)
Tay Barbee (BC)
James Colone (Virginia Tech)
Bridget Hewitt (Clemson)
Joyce Lee (BC)
Skylar Truesdale (Clemson)
Sally Cease (Clemson)
Zachary Falls (Clemson)
Nina Henry (BC)
Manasvi Puri (Virginia Tech)
Alison Yee (Wentworth)
Joseph Ikossi Le (BC)
Lea Krepold (Clemson)
Kristen Ryan (Wentworth)
Daniel Toro (Clemson)
Architecture
Gianna Arquilla is from Diamond, Ohio. She is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Math/Computer Science & Transformative Education
Sophia Ferrone is from Manhattan, New York. She is a junior at Boston College studying Math/Computer Science and Transformative Education, with minors in Design Thinking & Innovation and Cyberstrategy and Design.
Computer Science
Aisha Ismael is from Alexandria, Virginia. She is a junior at Virginia Tech studying Computer Science, with minors in Cybersecurity and National Security and Foreign Affairs.
Architecture
Marie Landgraf is from Augsburg, Germany. She is a junior at Clemson studying Architecture.
Environmental Studies & Economics
Dominique Williams is from Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis. She is a sophomore at Boston College studying Environmental Studies and Economics.
Transformative Educational Studies & Applied Psychology
Christy Chen is from Naperville, Illinois. She is a senior at Boston College studying Transformative Educational Studies and Applied Psychology, with a minor in Design, Innovation, and Thinking.
Architecture
Jess Gray is from Lexington, South Carolina. She is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Civil Engineering
Jack Grimes is from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He is a senior at Clemson studying Civil Engineering, with a minor in Architecture.
Economics
Seho Lee is from Norwood, New Jersey. He is a junior at Boston College studying Economics.
Industrial Design
Andrew MacKenzie is from New Canaan, Connecticut. He is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Architecture
Micaiah Brown is from Greenville, South Carolina. She is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Applied Psychology
Pablo Colón-Quiñones is from San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is a senior at Boston College studying Applied Psychology, with minors in Management and Leadership & Design Thinking and Innovation.
Architecture
Kaylin Denton is from Fairhope, Alabama. She is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Environmental Studies
Andrew Fonticoba is from Clifton, New Jersey. He is a sophomore at Boston College studying Environmental Studies, with a minor in Applied Psychology.
Industrial Design
Nolan Hilliard is from West Pawlet, Vermont. He is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Industrial Design
Kyan MacLeod is from Bellingham, Massachusetts. He is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Computer Engineering
Ayan Nawaz is from Lahore, Pakistan. He is a sophomore at Virginia Tech studying Computer Engineering.
Transformative Educational Studies
Oliver Peck is from Dallas, Texas. He is a freshman at Boston College studying Transformative Educational Studies.
Transformative Educational Studies & Applied Psychology
Brody Whetzel is from Salem, Oregon. He is a senior at Boston College studying Transformative Educational Studies and Applied Psychology, with a minor in Managing For Social Impact & The Public Good.
Architecture
Kenna Zeitz is from Spartanburg, South Carolina. She is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Transformative Education Studies & Sociology
Kate Bishop is from Fayetteville, Arkansas. She is a junior at Boston College studying Transformative Education Studies and Sociology, with minors in Restorative Justice and Design Thinking.
Architecture
Luke Esparza is from Riverside, California. He pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Biomedical Engineering
Anna Grabowski is from Baltimore, Maryland. She is a sophomore at Virginia Tech studying Biomedical Engineering.
Business
Aaron Morin is from Boston, Massachusetts. He is a junior at Boston College studying Business.
Industrial Design
Izzy Stojanov is from Michigan. She is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Industrial Design
Matteo Aubin is from West Hartford, Connecticut. He is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Applied Psychology
Maria Peterlin is from Boston, Massachusetts. She is a senior at Boston College studying Applied Psychology with a double minor in Management and Leadership and Cyber Strategy and Design.
Packaging Science
Adelaide Shirley is from Bluffton, South Carolina. She is a junior at Clemson studying Packaging Science, with a minor in Architecture.
Architecture
Zachary Wells is from Barnesville, Ohio. He is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson
Applied Psychology
Carter Frato-Sweeney is from Hiram, Ohio. He is a senior at Boston College studying Applied Psychology, with a minor in Managing for Social Impact and the Public Good.
Industrial Design
Kailee McPhillips is from Freetown, Massachusetts. She is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design, with a minor in Business Management.
Sociology
Markeese Mitchell is from Boston, Massachusetts. He is a senior at Boston College studying Sociology.
Architecture
Shamitha Nandi is from Boone, North Carolina. She is a senior at Clemson studying Architecture, with a minor in Sustainability.
Architecture
Cara Welker is from Albemarle, North Carolina. She is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Applied Psychology & Biology
Tay Barbee is from Huntington Beach, California. They are a junior at Boston College studying Applied Psychology and Biology, with a minor in Dance.
Aerospace Engineering
James Colone is from Wake Forest, North Carolina. He is a sophomore at Virginia Tech studying Aerospace Engineering.
Architecture
Bridget Hewitt is from Stratford, Connecticut. She is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Applied Psychology
Joyce Lee is from California. She is a junior at Boston College studying Applied Psychology, with minors in Communication and Design Thinking.
Architecture & Travel and Tourism Management
Skylar Truesdal is from Winnsboro, South Carolina. She is a senior at Clemson studying Architecture and Travel & Tourism Management.
Art
Sally Cease is from Charleston, South Carolina. She is a senior at Clemson studying Art, with minors in Architecture and Historical Preservation.
Architecture
Zachary Falls is from Kings Mountain, North Carolina. He is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Applied Psychology
Nina Henry is from Denver, Colorado. She is a sophomore at Boston College studying Applied Psychology, with a minor in Marketing.
General Engineering
Manasvi Puri is from New Delhi, India. She is a sophomore at Virginia Tech studying General Engineering (Chemical Engineering).
Industrial Design
Alison Yee is from Acton, Massachusetts. She is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Biochemistry & Economics
Joseph Ikossi Le is from Santa Clara, California. He is a senior at Boston College studying Biochemistry and Economics.
Architecture
Lea Krepold is from Augsburg, Germany. She is a junior at Clemson studying Architecture.
Industrial Design
Kristen Ryan is from Greenville, Rhode Island. She is a junior at Wentworth studying Industrial Design.
Architecture
Daniel Toro is from Bogotá, Colombia. He is pursuing a master’s degree in Architecture at Clemson.
Graduate Assistant
Ben Chieng is from Southbridge, Massachusetts. He is pursuing a master's degree in Research and Evaluation Methods at Boston College.
Graduate Assistant
Amanda Gordon is from Mansfield, Massachusetts. She is pursuing a master's degree in School Counseling at Boston College.
Teaching Mentor
Christian Miranda is from Boston, Massachusetts. He is a senior at Boston College studying Cybersecurity.