CU Disrupt Innovation Challenge Brings 100 Students to Mazuma’s Headquarters
As part of our ongoing partnership with the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS), Mazuma was excited to offer a one-day “takeover” of our Headquarters in Overland Park a few weeks ago.
The annual CU Disrupt Innovation Challenge is an experiential learning program that provides an opportunity for local students to engage in real-world experiences that create solutions for actual business challenges. It is always a fun, vibrant event that connects motivated young people with engaged local professionals to encourage innovation and skill development.
A Formative Learning and Mentorship Experience
This year, 100 students from schools in Missouri and Kansas met for a day of collaborative engagement with each other and business leaders from Mazuma. Students worked in teams with mentorship from credit union professionals to create innovative solutions that addressed the challenge of harnessing Artificial Intelligence to create banking solutions for gig workers. Each group presented their ideas to a panel of judges for the chance to win a monetary prize.
CU Disrupt is designed to be a fun, rich, and meaningful experience in which CAPS students use their problem-solving skills and unique perspectives to work out solutions to real challenges that face the financial services industry. The CAPS program’s five core values of profession-based learning, responsiveness, self-discovery and exploration, professional skills development, and entrepreneurial mindset encourage students to fully immerse themselves in challenges and sharpen important skills that will benefit them and their communities.
CAPS Network Coordinator Alisa Morse told the students “This experience is proof that you can walk into a new situation not knowing everything and learn and produce high quality work.” Students reflected on lessons learned through the experience, sharing that "Working under pressure taught me a lot about what I need to focus on and prioritize", and "We need to learn to be agile - know when to switch - and be responsive to feedback."
We’re so grateful for the opportunity to share our space with such innovative, engaged young people and participate in a formative learning experience. Congratulations to this year’s winners!
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