Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest Hosts Inaugural SPARK Summit
Guest speakers at the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest’s 2026 SPARK Summit included, from left, Matthew Jones, Faith N. Spencer, Charlie Kimball, Olivia West, Emmani Ellis and Jason Williams.
The Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest welcomed approximately 150 high school students from six Northwest Indiana high schools to the inaugural SPARK Summit in early May at Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Westville campus.
Designed to inspire creativity, innovation, leadership and entrepreneurial thinking, the one-day experience brought together students for keynote presentations, interactive workshops and conversations focused on problem-solving, confidence, collaboration and future-ready skills.
Students heard from nationally recognized speakers and facilitators, including INDYCAR driver and innovation speaker Charlie Kimball, branding strategist and motivational speaker Olivia West, and organizational leadership scholar and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator Matt Jones. Sessions focused on overcoming obstacles, building personal brands, creative collaboration and developing an innovation mindset.
“The Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest is uniquely positioned to offer regional programs that build an innovation mindset in young people,” said Gary Johnson, chairman of the Society’s Board of Directors. “Even if students do not start businesses, the problem-solving and creative-thinking skills they gain benefit every career path. Northwest Indiana is full of talented young people with the potential to become tomorrow’s innovators. Events like the SPARK Summit help nurture that potential and strengthen the region’s future workforce and community leadership.”
Northwest Indiana is full of talented young people with the potential to become tomorrow’s innovators. Events like the SPARK Summit help nurture that potential and strengthen the region’s future workforce and community leadership.
Educators who attended the event praised the programming and student engagement throughout the day.
“I think it was a good experience for my students, and I think the speakers were all very engaging,” Chesterton High School teacher Isaac Torres shared after the event. “My students definitely enjoyed the hands-on, interactive day.”
Students and teachers particularly connected with La Porte native Olivia West’s presentation on personal branding and confidence. One educator said students were inspired by “her belief in herself no matter what and her constant drive to work toward her goals.” Charlie Kimball’s keynote also left a lasting impact, especially his message about resilience and perseverance while competing professionally with Type 1 diabetes. One teacher shared that the presentation was especially meaningful for a student recently diagnosed with diabetes.
The summit concluded with a hands-on collaborative workshop led by Matt Jones, where students explored teamwork, communication and creative problem-solving through interactive activities using LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®.
The inaugural SPARK Summit is part of the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest’s broader SPARKed initiative, which focuses on strengthening youth entrepreneurship, innovation education and talent development across Northwest Indiana.
To learn more information, visit pnw.edu/soi.