In October 2025, we began our annual optiMize Social Innovation Challenge. Over the following five months, we hosted workshops, mentorship sessions, and community-building events, including partnerships with campus partners such as Business + Tech, the Arts Initiative, and LSA Sustainability. In February, these teams presented their work and requested up to $10,000 per project. That funding allows students to work full-time on their projects as optiMize Summer Fellows. This year, we are able to fund 38 project teams and offer 37 students summer fellowships through the generous donations of over 100 donors.
We are also incredibly excited to share the stories of our 8 Transfer Bridge Fellows, a fellowship offered every academic year to current University of Michigan transfer students who want to help impact the transfer student experience. During the Fellowship, these students led workshops at different community colleges and mentored prospective U-M students in various stages of the transfer process.
As we enter a new year with optiMize, we are so proud to present to you the 2026 Booklet, featuring our Social Innovation Challenge teams, Transfer Bridge Fellows, and Organizing Team. We invite you to witness the incredible stories of how our students live their lives unbounded. You can also view our booklet digitally here: https://tinyurl.com/optiMize2026.
