Fort Valley State University Celebrates Success of the 2025 REP4 Southeast Design Thinking Summer Summit
Monday, July 7th, 2025
Fort Valley State University (FVSU) proudly launched the 2025 REP4 Southeast Design Thinking Summer Summit, welcoming a vibrant cohort of nearly 40 students ready to explore innovative solutions to real-world challenges. From June 8-14, 2025, the atmosphere was electric as students arrived, checked in, donated children's books for the Fort Valley Youth Center of Excellence and toiletries for the Vault, and began forming connections that would shape the week ahead.
The summit opened with a warm welcome and a powerful message from university leadership, emphasizing the importance of student-driven innovation. Students settled into residence halls and began their pre-freshman college experience, supported by counselors who guided families, answered questions and helped set the tone for a transformative journey.
Throughout the week, students engaged in immersive sessions focused on design thinking, emotional wellness, financial literacy, food insecurity, public speaking, career readiness and leadership development.
These experiences challenged participants to think critically and creatively, fostering a mindset of empathy and strategic problem-solving.
Team-building activities emphasized trust, communication and collaboration, laying the foundation for collective success. Students participated in exercises that highlighted the strength of unity and the power of shared responsibility. One particularly memorable activity, the “Human Bridge,” symbolized the emotional and physical support that teams provide one another.
In a unique session on youth mental health, students explored how activities like skating can build resilience by teaching persistence through failure and recovery. Leadership development was a central theme, with students learning to apply key attributes such as integrity, empathy, vision, adaptability and communication. These skills were put into practice as students formed mock companies to address pressing issues in their communities.
FVSU President Paul Jones, Ph.D., shared, “REP4 is a national alliance of colleges and universities across the country focused on reimagining education by engaging learners in the design process. This summit is a testament to the power of student voices in shaping the future of learning.”
Beth Day-Hairston, Ph.D., dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies and REP4 National Fellow, reflected on the summit’s impact, stating, “This summit exemplifies the transformative power of student-led innovation. When we equip young minds with the tools of design thinking and the support of a caring community, we ignite a movement toward meaningful change.”
She added, “Special thanks to President Jones and to the university-wide faculty, students, staff and community partners whose dedication and contributions were instrumental to the summit’s success. Their collective efforts created an environment where students felt empowered, supported and inspired to lead.”
The 2025 REP4 Southeast Design Thinking Summer Summit marks a significant milestone in FVSU’s commitment to reimagining education and fostering the next generation of changemakers.
