Some classes have the power not only to educate but to transform. For Simone Baravelli (‘25), this was the case when he enrolled in Innovation and Design Thinking with Professor Wendy Angst during his sophomore year; leading him to international travel, service and a personal transformation that extended well beyond the classroom.
Simone (Simo), a recent graduate of the Mendoza College of Business with a degree in Management Consulting and Economics, began his class with Professor Angst as he would any other. As part of the curriculum, Simo and his team began work on a freelancing project in partnership with Saint Bakhita Vocational Training Center (SBVTC), an all girls vocational school in Kalongo, Uganda. The team worked to help the Innovation Scholars at SBVTC build digital skills and connect them to online work opportunities. Simo described this specific project as one of the most meaningful parts of his time at Notre Dame: “That experience shaped my long-term goal of expanding access to opportunity, especially in underserved communities.” He also worked on developing a community engagement strategy to establish a mutually beneficial relationship between SBVTC and the larger Kalongo community.
In typical design thinking fashion, the impact did not end in the classroom. Simo – as well as a group of other students from his class – had the opportunity to travel to Uganda over Spring Break 2023 to refine and test the strategies they had worked on during the semester. To do so, he focused on the community engagement project, organizing a soccer game with over 400 attendees in order to share the mission of SBVTC, sell products made by the scholars and gain valuable feedback on ways the school could better engage with the community. While full of countless impactful insights, Simo condensed his experience in Uganda into three key takeaways:
“Gratitude is an important virtue that should be cultivated”.
“The ability to empathize with others is crucial for understanding and addressing their needs”.
“It’s easy to get caught up in material desires, but we must remember what truly matters in life.”
Professor Angst’s Innovation and Design Thinking class and accompanying immersion was not just a fleeting interest, but rather became the inspiration for Simo’s future collegiate research and eventual senior thesis. In July of 2024, he had the opportunity to return to Uganda, this time focused on developing a computing education program for the Innovation Scholars. Continuing to build on his initial freelancing project, Simo worked to equip the scholars with the digital expertise necessary to complete online work, potentially earning up to ten times their local salary. He left each scholar with a working proficiency in AI and online learning!
Upon the start of his senior year, Simo continued researching Ugandan labor markets for a senior thesis, focusing on how the country’s Free Primary Education reform in 1997 impacted digital labor markets. “Using national survey data and a difference-in-differences approach, I found that students who were more exposed to the policy were more likely to access internet-based work later in life. It showed how early investments in education can open real pathways when combined with digital infrastructure.” The thesis not only deepened his understanding of international economics but also affirmed his commitment to leveraging research for social impact.
Simo is currently preparing to start work as an Associate Consultant at Bain & Company in Chicago, where he hopes to gain tangible work experience before pursuing his MBA through the Harvard Business School 2+2 program. “My work with the Powerful Means Initiative was one of the most meaningful parts of my college experience. It really exposed me to a lot of situations that made me really think hard in life about what I consider success and what I want from my future.” Simo’s journey is not only a testament to the power of design thinking, but truly shows the impact of working with others to develop impactful and people-driven solutions. The Powerful Means Initiative is extremely proud to share Simo’s story and honored to play a part in his inspiring professional journey!
Nate Butler is a rising junior in the Mendoza College of Business studying Marketing, Spanish and Anthropology.