Eccles students use design and creativity to raise awareness for clean water worldwide Eccles students use design and creativity to raise awareness for clean water worldwide

Eccles students use design and creativity to raise awareness for clean water worldwide

Crisp, fresh mountain stream water on demand from our tap is one of the huge luxuries that comes with being nestled in the Wasatch Mountains. But not everyone is so lucky.

The Information Systems program at the Eccles School partnered with Adobe and WHOlives to host a competition where student teams create a website to promote the WHOlives’ mission. WHOlives is a non-profit organization focused on improving the lives of people in developing nations by providing access to clean water in a self-sustainable process by digging wells and constructing water pumps in communities. Right now, over 80% of water-deprived households depend on women for collecting water, resulting in millions of women and children spending three to six hours each day walking an average of 3.7 miles to collect water from distant and polluted sources.

A total of 48 undergraduate students making up 19 teams competed in the week-long Eccles-WHOlives Social Impact Challenge from Oct. 27 – Nov. 4, 2022.

Prior to the competition start, students participated in a design principles workshop hosted by the University of Utah Adobe Creative Commons Team at Kahlert Village. Students utilized Adobe Express for their website designs, and the Adobe team provided tips and tricks for designers and non-designers alike to enhance their fundraising page to make their ideas stand out.

The event brought together students and industry leaders to help students learn valuable industry skills and provide networking opportunities with prospective employers, all while solving one of the world’s biggest problems.

Congratulations to all participants and winning teams for taking part in a meaningful social cause to bring clean water to remote villages all over the developing world.