University Innovation Fellows
The Program
The University Innovation Fellows (UIF) is a highly selective program at the Stanford d. school funded by the National Science Foundation which trains teams of students to survey the entrepreneurial landscape at their schools and identify opportunities for impact. Fellows are selected along with faculty from participating schools to partake in direct mentorship and hands-on learning before deploying the skills they have gathered back at their universities to create structural change. Only four students per partner institution are chosen annually to represent their university.
Baylor UIF
In the last two years, Cohort 0 of the University Innovation Fellows employed structured design thinking to evaluate the impact of food sampling across all 4 campus dining halls. This included 7+ dining hall walkthroughs, interviews with 10+ chefs, 250+ students engaged, 500+ hours spent, and $20k raised from the university.
We narrowed 10 project proposals down into 3 research proposals and eventually settled on a flagship initiative- “Sic’Em Sampling”. We believe food sampling stations offer a promising alternative by allowing students to taste dishes in small portions before committing to a full serving. This reduces waste from unwanted meals, increases student engagement with diverse cuisines, and provides feedback that can inform future menu planning and procurement.
“Sic’Em Sampling” has been converted into standard operating procedures (SOPs) adopted by Chartwells Higher Education. They will officially come into effect at the beginning of October through pilot testing stations across all 4 campus dining halls. If proven successful, these standard operating procedures will be adopted across multiple Chartwells partner institutions throughout the US (up to 60+ universities).
Meet the 2024 Fellows
Campus Partners
The Office of Sustainability (OoS) is a key partner because it ensures that initiatives like Sic’Em Sampling align with Baylor’s broader sustainability mission. Their role is to integrate UIF projects with campus-wide goals, reinforce compliance with sustainable practices, and provide institutional support so that student-led innovations contribute to Baylor’s long-term environmental vision. By partnering with OoS, the UIF program benefits from credibility, accountability, and the assurance that projects like waste tracking and food sampling are not isolated experiments but embedded in the university’s culture of sustainability.
Chartwells Higher Education, operating as Baylor Eats, is an essential implementation partner because they control the daily operations of campus dining halls. Their leadership team (from the Vice President of Operations to Executive Chefs) provides oversight, communication, and kitchen-level execution of initiatives. By engaging with students directly, tracking waste trends, and adapting operations across dining halls, Baylor Eats ensures that UIF projects move beyond planning into action. Their partnership makes innovation tangible: chefs, directors, and staff serve as the front line in bringing sustainability practices and student engagement to life within Baylor’s dining system.
UIF works alongside and with support from key Baylor stakeholders, including the Office of the President, Provost, Business Services & Procurement, Student Life, and academic Deans. Our projects culminate each semester with a stakeholder presentation, allowing Fellows to showcase project progress, demonstrate measurable impact, and receive direct feedback from senior leadership, ensuring alignment with Baylor’s strategic priorities while strengthening long-term institutional support.
For additional information, please reach out to UIF@baylor.edu
