Committee Training Workshop: One Team, One Goal
Oct 14, 2025
"Building Team Skills, Collaboration, and Impact"
Introduction
On September 13th, the Committee Training Workshop brought together volunteers and participants to enhance team skills, foster collaboration, and deepen impact within the Hult Prize community. The workshop, themed “One Team, One Goal”, featured interactive sessions, speaker presentations, and hands-on exercises aimed at equipping attendees with practical tools for social innovation and leadership.
Workshop Highlights
Arrival & Check-in
Participants arrived and checked in, setting the stage for an engaging afternoon of learning and collaboration.Icebreaker: Human Bingo (13:40 – 14:00)
The workshop kicked off with a lively icebreaker activity, Human Bingo, helping participants connect and get comfortable in the collaborative environment.Agenda Brief
The session agenda was outlined, providing participants with an overview of the day’s schedule and objectives.
Speaker Sessions
Session 1: María Belén Marín Vysokolán
María Belén Marín Vysokolán introduced the Hult Prize, a global platform for social innovation present in over 130 countries and engaging more than 200,000 students annually. She emphasized that volunteers are the heart of the Hult Prize, shaping participants’ experiences and contributing to the success of campus programs.
Belén highlighted the pillars of the Hult Prize: Education, Investment, and Community. The competition progresses from campus qualifiers to national and digital phases, culminating in the Global Finals with a $1 million seed fund awarded to the winning team.
Through simulation exercises, participants explored scenarios such as lost teams, unexpected judges, registration chaos, and technical failures. Belén guided volunteers on maintaining calm, professionalism, and teamwork, stressing that each volunteer represents both their campus and the global community.
“Keep smiling and professional, because you are not just yourself—you represent your campus and the global community,” Belén reminded attendees.
Session 2: Leslie Tsai 蔡妤珮
Leslie Tsai explored the concept of social innovation, emphasizing that its true value lies in creating meaningful positive impact rather than solely generating profit. She encouraged participants to consider human needs broadly and embrace diverse perspectives when addressing social challenges.
Using a case study of an agricultural solar-drying project, Leslie highlighted the importance of responsibility, scalability, and long-term leadership. Volunteers and committee members were encouraged to act as companions and facilitators, not just assistants, in driving sustainable social impact.
Key reflection questions included:
What is the current situation?
What potential impact could expansion bring?
What inspires human connection?
Does the solution truly work in practice?
Leslie stressed that sustainable leadership empowers others and builds a legacy, reminding attendees that leadership is about enabling growth through collaboration.
Session 3: Dr. Alex Yu-Yu Chang – Marshmallow Challenge
Dr. Alex Yu-Yu Chang led the Marshmallow Challenge, a hands-on teamwork exercise requiring participants to build a freestanding tower with spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow within 18 minutes.
Lessons from the exercise highlighted the importance of risk management, time management, focused leadership, and collaborative problem-solving. Teams driven purely by external incentives performed less effectively, reinforcing that experimentation, communication, and collective effort are crucial to success.
Panel Discussion: Insights from Past Campus Directors
The panel discussion featured Michael and Renata, past Campus Directors, who shared insights from the Global Finals and emphasized the importance of community and collaboration.
Key takeaways included:
Appreciating everyone’s contributions, regardless of winning or losing.
Building strong networks and leveraging international connections.
Cultivating effective team culture through communication, shared responsibility, and enjoyment.
Michael and Renata concluded that leadership and community are not just about results—they are about growth, support, and shared success.
Closing
The workshop concluded with the Certificate of Appreciation and Sponsor Acknowledgment, followed by a group photo to commemorate the day.
Overall, the Committee Training Workshop successfully equipped participants with practical skills in teamwork, leadership, and social innovation, fostering a stronger, more collaborative Hult Prize community.