Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website
Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website
A senior from St. John's University, Alpamys Yechshanov, participated in the European Innovation Academy (EIA) in Portugal this summer. The event is a three-week program focused on entrepreneurship and innovation, where Alpamys was part of one of the 11 top-achieving teams.
“EIA was the perfect platform to challenge myself, grow, and make a real-world impact through innovative design and technology,” said Alpamys Yechshanov, who is set to graduate in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design from St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Alpamys joined five other students from St. John’s among more than 500 participants from over 60 countries at the EIA Porto 2024 bootcamp. Teams identified problems, validated them with potential customers, built prototypes, launched marketing campaigns, and presented their ideas to investors.
"Our participation in the European Innovation Academy is a testament to St. John’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs," stated Luca Iandoli, Ph.D., Distinguished Chair and Dean at The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies.
“The European Innovation Academy is a tremendous opportunity for our students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world challenges,” added Maciek Nowak, Ph.D., Dean at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business.
Alpamys's team developed "Virture," a project designed to address recycling issues using technology to identify correct bins for waste disposal. “We wanted to tackle this issue by making it easier for people to identify the correct bins,” explained Alpamys.
The experience at EIA helped Alpamys realize his strengths in fast-paced environments and reinforced his passion for innovation combining design, technology, and sustainability.
St. John's support for international students has been significant for Alpamys's growth as both a designer and entrepreneur. “The University’s support for international students and the focus on sustainability have lined up perfectly with my interests,” he noted.
Other St. John’s participants included Jacqueline Torres focusing on communication within European company theaters; Dylan Bacchus working on accessible mental health support; Jonathan Smilovich developing an app named Kaleido for clothing coordination; Adina-Georgiana Stancu addressing accessibility in team sports; and Daria Stepanova creating a start-up in tourism using artificial intelligence.
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