Bona Suh
Edith Chang
Nifemi Akinwande
Owen Salmon
Christine Lai
Renoa Richelle King
Diora JuraboevaEverything Spark is cooking for Spring ‘25!
Paolo Velasco
Introduction to our Spring 2025 Initiatives:
By joining Spark, you'll become a part of our amazing committees and help us push them to their fullest potential. Several of our initiatives, such as Founders and Startup Career Fair, have been running for years because they are absolutely central to our mission and values. While we may choose to continue, pause, or temporarily retire an initiative, any project can be revived if a lead feels strongly about its cause. For example, Break to Make will be running for the first time in over 5 years! In addition, at the start of each semester, we often launch new initiatives to reflect our evolving commitment to our mission like with VC Academy last fall, and now SeeSaw for this spring. With an exciting semester ahead of us, we can’t wait for you to see what’s in store. We hope you find something that ignites your inner Spark.
Editor's note:
Spark is in a really exciting phase. With the org having just turned 10 years old, and coming off a record breaking 8 committees last fall, we are so excited to show what we have planned for the new year. Every semester, we take an introspective look at the initiatives we've recently run, assess the needs of the surrounding community, and thereby determine Spark's goals for the next couple of months. This spring, Spark will be running 6 absolutely awe-inspiring committees, each dedicated to furthering our core ethos on entrepreneurship. Our current leads have outlined below how they believe their initiative addresses Spark's mission, what the work will look like, and what it'll be like to join the committee.
Click below to jump to an initiative:
- External Committees
- Activist Incubator
- Break to Make
- Founders
- SeeSaw
- Startup Career Fair
- VC Academy
- Internal Committees
- SparkLabs
External Committees
Activist Incubator
Committee Lead:
Owen Salmon, Sophomore majoring in Business Administration
What is Activist Incubator? Activist Incubator is a 6-week curriculum that will teach students the ins-and-outs of advocacy based on historical movements and practical skills. Students will also host an advocacy event at the end of the semester, with the goal of fostering more political engagement at USC.
What does Activist Incubator have to do with Spark’s Mission? The Activist Incubator directly aligns with Spark SC's mission of empowering students to create meaningful change within their communities. By fostering political entrepreneurship both on and off campus, this committee amplifies the voices and beliefs of Trojans, driving entrepreneurial impact and advancing advocacy at USC.
What will the work look like?
- Complete outreach, research, and planning tasks before meetings (e.g., contact non-profits, study case examples)
- Support activists one-on-one in organizing and developing their campstone event
- Build relationships with community partners and professional activists
- Develop knowledge and skills related to activism and social change
Joining the Activist Incubator committee offers the opportunity to develop transferable skills such as event planning, education, media, and outreach, all while actively engaging in the activism sector. Members will gain valuable insights into advocacy and learn how to champion the issues they are most passionate about, all while contributing to the growth of political entrepreneurship at USC!
Break to Make
Committee Leads:
Bona Suh, Sophomore majoring in Computer Science (Games)
Christine Lai, Sophomore majoring in Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation
Edith Chang, Sophomore majoring in Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation
What is Break to Make? Break to Make is a two day, all women’s hardware make-a-thon. Women (trans and non-binary friends included) across diverse USC majors come together to turn an idea into a physical product in just two days. No experience in hardware technology is required!
What does Break to Make have to do with Spark’s Mission? We’re Breaking stereotypes to Make our voices heard. Break to Make inspires a culture of innovation by having participants solve real problems, work on a solution, and pitch the finished product to judges at the end of the event. We expose students to their creative potential by giving them two days of workshops and mentorship to prototype a real product. And, we connect makers across diverse communities by bringing together engineers, designers, architects, and really, students from any major to work in a team setting for two full days.
What will the work look like?
- Logistics: securing venues & equipment, sourcing event materials, budgeting + fundraising, safety
- Programming: contacting speakers & mentors, planning event schedule, organizing workshops
- Outreach: marketing strategy, social media content, email campaigns, partnership collaborations
Overall…
Break to Make hopes to be a safe space to learn, experiment, and share regardless of experience. We believe that by bridging the gap between engineers and non-engineers, these diverse, creative minds will come together to make something incredible. Come join our small but mighty team in bringing this community to life <3.
Founders
Committee Leads:
Anushka Rala, Freshman Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation
Nifemi Akinwande, Freshman majoring in Neuroscience
What is Founders? Founders is a committee that aims to inspire students by exposing and connecting them to entrepreneurs with diverse backgrounds. It creates opportunities for members to engage in meaningful conversations with individuals who have succeeded in their chosen fields, providing a platform to share ideas, gain knowledge, and find inspiration.
How Does Founders Align with Spark SC's Mission? The Founders committee directly supports Spark SC's mission of bridging the gap and expanding the idea of entrepreneurship. By offering students the chance to meet entrepreneurs, hear their stories, and learn from their journeys, Founders inspires and empowers USC students to explore their own entrepreneurial paths. This exposure to diverse success stories motivates students to start their own success stories and continues to foster innovation and creativity.
What Will the Work Entail?
The work of the Founders committee is broken into three main stages:
- Outreach:
- Cold emailing potential founders.
- Leveraging connections in various fields to identify candidates who align with the mission.
- Marketing and promoting events to engage the USC community.
- Planning:
- Securing venues and logistical details for events.
- Preparing visuals and marketing materials.
- Coordinating schedules and ensuring seamless communication among team members and speakers.
- Execution:
- Hosting and managing the event.
- Facilitating engaging conversations between students and guest speakers.
- Creating a welcoming and inspiring atmosphere for attendees.
Throughout the process, collaboration is key. The committee will meet once or twice a week (in-person or virtually) to coordinate, plan, and stay connected. Regular communication through emails, texts, and group activities ensures that everyone is aligned and supported. Team bonding activities will also be an important part of the committee’s culture with coffee chats and work hangouts, emphasizing that no one person can do it all; this is a team effort.
Why Join Founders?
- Gain hands-on experience in event planning, outreach, and marketing.
- Build meaningful connections with successful entrepreneurs from various industries.
- Develop professional skills such as communication, teamwork, and project management.
- Contribute to the entrepreneurial ecosystem at USC by inspiring and empowering peers.
- Have fun!
Founders is about creating opportunities for inspiration and growth—both for students and committee members. We’re excited to embark on this journey and make a lasting impact :)
SeeSaw
Committee Leads:
Sheena Kim, Sophomore majoring in Public Relations and Advertising
Yeji Seo, Junior majoring in Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation
What is SeeSaw? SeeSaw aims to empower local businesses around USC by providing a platform for them to share their stories through painted murals.
What does SeeSaw have to do with Spark’s Mission? USC is surrounded by local businesses run by a diverse community of entrepreneurs. Seesaw empowers founders by providing a platform to share their stories and gain visibility while bridging gaps between communities—not only between USC’s students and their external surroundings but also within the student body’s large assortment of talent/majors.
What will the work look like?
- Artists/creative technologists: mural design/creation and creative technologists focused on making the mural virtually interactive
- Media: Film, edit, and upload high-quality short-form content
- Outreach/Logistics: Assist with planning efforts, production, and outreach for the external mural artists & local businesses
Joining SeeSaw means joining a fun and warm group of creative individuals excited to collaborate and create. If you love seeing, making, and engaging with beautiful things - you are at the right place! We believe art uplifts and highlights a community, and we are ready to foster that within SeeSaw and in our beloved LA.
Startup Career Fair
Committee Lead:
Renoa King, Sophomore majoring in Business Administration
Shloka Ashok, Sophomore majoring in Economics
What is Startup Career Fair? A fully student-organized career fair that brings up & coming startups to USC’s campus for ambitious students to network, discuss career opportunities, and create new ones.
What does Startup Career Fair have to do with Spark’s Mission? SCF serves as a platform for students to kickstart their entrepreneurial journeys in an innovative, fast-paced environment while helping startups connect with driven young talent. In the months leading up to the fair, we will also organize start-up founder panels and workshops.
What will the work look like?
- Scoping and recruiting startups, VCs, fast-growing businesses, and other connections
- Coordinating and communicating with emerging companies
- Designing and launching a multimedia advertising campaign
- Working with USC to raise funding and managing our budget
- Coordinating logistics for the fair and our Speaker sessions
SCF is a committee for people wanting to explore and create lasting connections across the USC and LA entrepreneurial world. The work is fast-paced, rewarding, engaging, and is fundamentally about working with and talking to people. Join this committee if you want to strengthen your network with amazing entrepreneurs at top companies. SCF will develop your problem-solving, networking, and organizational skills, and work with a fun, social group of students. With members from previous semesters being hired by these startups, you could find yourself with a summer internship or a job!
VC Academy
Committee Lead:
Diora Juraboeva, Junior majoring in Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation
Rylan Jimenez, Junior majoring in Political Science
What is VC Academy? VC Academy aims to teach students the ins and outs of early stage investing for angel groups and venture capital. We are partnering with industry professionals to offer a multi-week curriculum and mentorship opportunities for the USC community.
What does VC Academy have to do with Spark’s Mission? This initiative directly aligns with Spark's mission to foster entrepreneurial thought and action across diverse communities. USC currently lacks resources in VC. By introducing a VC education and mentorship program, we aim to empower students from all backgrounds and interests to explore opportunities in startup investment and contribute to the USC and LA entrepreneurial ecosystem.
What will the work look like?
- VC outreach - Identifying and inviting venture capitalists and angel investors to be part of our speaker series
- Event Planning - Organizing guest speaker sessions, networking events, and workshops to engage students and professionals in the venture capital space
- Marketing & Recruitment - Promoting the program to students across campus and recruiting participants for mentorship
Whether you are a founder, a scout, or have never heard of VC before, get ready to learn fast and play hard! You will be able to engage in curated educational content and interactions with industry experts, alongside gaining valuable experience in event planning. By the end of this committee, you will all be ready to scout the next billion dollar startup.
Internal Committees
SparkLabs
What is SparkLabs? SparkLabs is an internal curriculum and fellowship experience geared towards new members to build skills and take initiative. Each sparklet will go through the SparkLabs curriculum.
What does SparkLabs have to do with Spark’s Mission? SparkLabs is an opportunity for sparklets to foster fellowship and nurture skills an entrepreneur holds. Spark’s mission is to view entrepreneurship in a multifaceted perspective, and Sparklabs will instill such values within Sparklets by teaching this message through deliverables, projects, and events!
Sparklets will:
- bond with fellow sparklets!
- learn skills from older spark members relating to both technical and personal development
- coordinate on executing engaging activities and prepare for their respective committees
Every Spark member has gone through a variation of SparkLabs. For each of us, the curriculum has given the chance to have isolated time for fun with fellow sparklets while also learning more about how to further Spark’s core values. It is a core part of the Spark experience.