BIC Helps Grove School Redefine the Future of Engineering

Change the narrative. That’s what BIC's Fall Non-Profit Capstone set out to do. With the Grove School of Engineering as their partner, BICsters were tasked with shifting current perception that engineering isn’t for women or people of color. Seizing on the #MeToo moment and disruptive voices in Silicon Valley, nothing could be more timely or appropriate for this prestigious engineering school at City College led by Dean Gilda Barabino — who is herself the first African-American woman to preside over a non-HBCU college of engineering.


On Thursday, December 14th, four teams presented strategically driven campaigns that leveraged traditional, online, social, mobile, and other digital communications vehicles to spread the message, align it with the Grove School, and shift public perceptions. Anchored in a "big idea," teams demonstrated how their campaigns would roll out with a timeline of tactical elements for a yearlong plan. Professor Douglas Davis oversaw their efforts.

Dean Barabino provided a clear brief at the beginning of the semester as well as invited members of her staff and faculty to judge final campaigns at December's Client Pitch. Throughout the semester, students were aided by BIC alums, Nikki Lebenson Angulo ’16 and Marika Bailey ’16 who provided insights into the unique marketing challenges of non-profit organizations. BIC alum Javier Garcia ’15 provided added support towards the end of the semester as students finalized their presentations.


Each team developed distinctive approaches, from  challenging existing stereotypes to identifying trailblazers in the field. The winning campaign came from BIC Team Incite, which focused on diversity as the key to innovation. By looking in unlikely places for solutions, the possibilities are limitless.

Past non-profit capstone clients have been Columbia Children's Health, the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, and the UJA.