Innovator
“Change is good,” observes Allen Sirkin ’64, H’10, on page 58.
This issue of Jefferson Innovator finds hope and even fun in all kinds of change. For Aaron Ulland (p 28), change means conquering “the beast.” His life was turned upside down by a stroke that paralyzed the left side of his body. But in a study seemingly out of a sci-fi story, Jefferson researchers are changing his odds by implanting an electrode in his brain that’s returned movement to his arm.
For the students at this year’s Celebration of Innovation (p 42), change is about new solutions, putting novel ideas into practice to make the world a better place.
For higher ed, Covid19 disrupted—or maybe accelerated—thinking about the future of work, revealing the primacy of skills like creativity and adaptability and constant learning. Jefferson saw this trend before the pandemic, so naturally changed the curriculum to weave creativity throughout all courses (p 52).
For the inimitable Farai Simoyi, director of Fashion Design, change is something to embrace (p 36). “I think sometimes people want to make a switch, start a new project, or go into a new career,” she says. “Why wait? Life is too short—the time is now!”
Current Issue: Fall 2021
Newsletter

Jefferson Innovator Staff
- Editor
- Mark P. Turbiville, VP and Campaign Director
- Design
- Shae Berler Goudreau, Creative Director
- Whitney Grant
- Megan Plescha, Assistant Creative Director
- Writers
- Cindy Lefler, Senior Writer
- Joseph McDougall, Writer
- Peter Nichols, Senior Writer
- Digital
- Joseph Amato, Video
- Emily Butkus, Video
- Ali Lubin, Magazine.Jefferson.edu
- Heather Mahon, Magazine.Jefferson.edu
- Project Coordinators
- Lauren Evron
- Alison Pajonk