(AGENPARL) - Roma, 20 Marzo 2026 - What happens when students step outside the classroom and into a global marketplace of innovation?
In March, the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest partnered with organizers of the Inspired Home Show to bring a small group of Northwest Indiana students to the show’s Student Experience Day at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Hosted by the International Housewares Association, the Inspired Home Show is one of the world’s largest gatherings of home and housewares professionals. It features more than 2,000 brands and over 300,000 products, drawing attendees from more than 100 countries. For students, it offers a firsthand look at how ideas move from concept to consumer.
Among those students were Purdue Northwest seniors Elizabeth Ciprez-Contreras and Nathalia “Talia” Teves. Both are majoring in management with a concentration in entrepreneurship in PNW’s College of Business.
Connecting Students to Industry
For the Society of Innovators, experiences like this are intentional.
Innovation happens where ideas, people, and industries intersect. By connecting students to events like the Inspired Home Show, the Society helps bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application.
For Elizabeth, that exposure immediately changed her perspective. “It was way better than what I imagined,” she said. “I didn’t expect it to be as lively. A lot of the things that I saw were really useful and things I would want to have in the future.”
From Observation to Inspiration
Walking the show floor meant more than seeing products. It meant experiencing innovation as both a consumer and a future entrepreneur. “I would like to see some of those prototypes out in the market. I would want them as a consumer,” Elizabeth said.
For Talia, the experience highlighted how innovation often lives at the intersection of function and lifestyle.
One standout example was the Cove concept, part of the Global Innovation Awards (gia) Excellence in Student Design competition. Designed by University of Wisconsin–Stout student Loyal Prach, Cove earned third place and reimagines the everyday lunchbox as a temperature-controlled system capable of both heating and cooling meals, offering greater flexibility and convenience for users on the go.
She also highlighted brands like ASOBU®, where playful features and customization transform everyday products into something more engaging and personal, along with practical innovations like Prepara’s Berry Pod and Salad Pod.
Across categories, the lesson was clear. Innovation is not always about creating something entirely new. It is often about improving how people experience everyday life.
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