At CMU-Silicon Valley, we approach the student experience the way our region approaches innovation: curiosity, focus, and a readiness to iterate. The Student Impact Advisory (SIA) is one way we stay connected to student perspectives and explore how campus life can keep evolving.

SIA brings together students from all three academic departments for fast-paced, collaborative sessions. Some use design thinking to frame challenges and generate ideas. Others surface insights or explore ways to improve existing systems. The format may shift, but the goal stays the same: to understand how students experience CMU-SV and to build on what is working while improving what is not.

What you gain

SIA gives you the chance to shape student life while building skills that are relevant across engineering, product, and leadership roles. You will practice:

  • Human-centered design
  • Systems thinking
  • Creative problem framing
  • Collaboration across disciplines
  • Communicating ideas that lead to action

These are skills used every day by teams across Silicon Valley and by students committed to making an impact in their communities.

From ideas to action

SIA sessions help surface patterns, test new approaches, and spark enhancements on campus.

One example is the NextDish partnership, a food pilot launched by the Student Affairs team in response to feedback shared through SIA. Students highlighted challenges around food access and convenience, which led to the development of a prototype for an on-campus meal delivery option. 

Other sessions have influenced onboarding design, resource communication, and student-driven initiatives.

Join the next SIA session

All CMU-SV students are welcome. There is no formal sign-up and no long-term commitment. SIA sessions happen a few times each semester. Check the student activities calendar to see what is coming up. If the timing works for you, add it to your calendar and stop by. No prep is required, and no pressure. Just a chance to share your perspective and be part of the conversation.

Share feedback anytime

Use the feedback and ideas form to share thoughts outside of a Student Impact Advisory session.