Entrepreneurship

Sacred Heart U Building Student-Faculty-Business Alliance with New Innovation Hub

• By Rhea Kelly
• 10/30/19

Sacred Heart University's iHub (photo by Tracy Deer-Mirek)

Connecticut's Sacred Heart University has opened a new innovation hub, dubbed iHub, devoted to creativity and innovation. A joint venture with Verizon, the 8,000-square-foot facility provides a space for businesses to "collaborate with students and faculty through internships, team projects and other experiential learning programs," according to a news announcement. iHub is the first Verizon "innovation community" to be located on a college campus.

"The iHub is part of the innovation ecosystem that we are building at our West Campus," said Rupendra Paliwal, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Sacred Heart University, in a statement. "Companies and entrepreneurs that become members of iHub will have access to our faculty experts, student talents and state-of-the-art labs and facilities from wide-ranging disciplines to help them in various facets of business. Students will have an immersive learning experience with real projects right here on the campus. The iHub will further support a differentiated and distinctive SHU education."

Five local companies are already using the iHub space, the university reported. For example, forensic lab FaceChecks.com got involved with an eye toward marketing and networking: "We were the first to sign up, with the aim of improving our marketing and networking with people that can help our technology," said Alan Dressler, FaceChecks.com CEO and founding partner. "We are making connections and have the ability to hire interns here."

Such collaborations will "help students develop the essential problem-solving and critical-thinking skills that are integral to their success," the university said.