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Center for Innovation and Leadership

Department Overview

The Center for Innovation and Leadership (CIL) provides opportunities for the Swarthmore community to develop the skills to lead, innovate and create value. Through experiential learning, engaging programs, internships, mentorship, and funding, we offer the tools for students to improve the world around them- by starting a new venture or leading in their community. Collaborating with Swarthmore’s cutting-edge faculty, committed staff, and engaged alumni, the CIL offers the opportunity for Swatties to dream big and apply knowledge for positive impact. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

University Innovations Fellows Applications Deadline

Label: April 11, 2025

Fellows create student innovation spaces, start entrepreneurship organizations, facilitate experiential workshops, work with faculty and administrators to develop new courses, and much more. They serve as advocates for lasting institutional change with academic leaders, lending the much-needed student voice to the conversations about the future of higher education. The University Innovation Fellows is a program of Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). The program was created as part of the National Center for Engineering Pathways to Innovation (Epicenter), a five-year National Science Foundation grant.

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SwatTank Finals

Label: Friday, April 18, 2025 | Sci 101 | 3-5:30PM

Join us as SwatTank judges assess student teams on a set of criteria specific to ideation and creativity. Students have gone through rounds of mentorship, bootcamps, and pitch practice to now showcase what they have developed.  Come listen in to teams pitch a developed idea and project presentation. SwatTank prize money is a step towards making student ventures a reality! The prize will be split between all members of the team. At the SwatTank Finals, audience members will also have an opportunity to cast their vote for "Audience Choice", an additional $500.

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Senior Showcase Presentations

Label: Friday, April 25, 2025 | Sci 101 | 4-6:30PM

Join us on April 25th as select Swarthmore Seniors present their thesis work. Throughout the Spring semester, students perfected a 3 minute pitch and one slide of information to concisely convey their projects. The showcase is typically followed by a reception where attendees can interact and ask questions of participants.

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Rachel Simmons discusses how to fail successfully at her Failure Workshop hosted by the CIL in September. Read more about the workshop here...

Rachel Simmons discusses how to fail successfully at her Failure Workshop hosted by the CIL in September. Read more about the workshop here...

The CIL took 11 students to California for a week of experiential learning on the CIL @SF trip! More here...

 

SwatTank 2017 finalists

The finalists of the 2017 SwatTank Innovation Competition answer questions about their business pitches.

Students

Students have the opportunity to learn, develop, and build skills through LINK workshops throughout the academic year.

The winning team of SwatTank 2016, Sedinam Worlanyo ‘17 (left) and Bolutife Fakoya ‘17, founded a company that produces artisanal backpacks from Africa, each made with a unique design and meaning. More here...

Rachel Simmons discusses how to fail successfully at her Failure Workshop hosted by the CIL in September. Read more about the workshop here...

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