To be eligible for the Social Impact Innovation Program, students must develop a proposal for a project that improves health equity—either locally or globally. The following eligibility criteria will also apply:
- Current Berkeley Student: The project lead must be an undergraduate or Master’s student who is currently enrolled in a UC Berkeley degree program and will graduate in Spring 2025 or later. Other team members must be either a currently enrolled UC Berkeley student, UC Berkeley alumni (up to one per team), or student at another university (up to one per team).
- Social Impact Focus: The proposed project must catalyze positive health-related social change through a) direct community partnership and b) direct action (such as services, policy change or products) that improves people’s lives and promotes health equity within or across communities.
- Student-driven Project: Students are encouraged to reach out to faculty and staff to informally solicit feedback or advice on project goals and approach, but projects must be student-driven and cannot be formally overseen (i.e. managed) by faculty or staff.
- Collaboration: The proposed team must have 2–4 people.
*Analytical and theory-based research (e.g. methodology development, pure data collection and data analysis, literature reviews, etc.), while important for advancing the public health mission, are not eligible for this program.