What’s a key learning or takeaway from the VentureWell program you participated in, and how did it impact your journey?

The biggest takeaway for me was the community. [During the Ecosystem Futures Fellowship workshop], VentureWell put me in a room with people asking the same kinds of questions and testing new ideas at their schools. It showed me different ways of approaching things, and I brought a lot of that energy back to Old Dominion University. Even now, I find myself drawing on those conversations when I’m building something new.

Looking back, what advice would you give yourself at the start of your journey?

I’d tell myself not to hold back waiting for everything to line up perfectly. At the start, I was hesitant to put ideas out there because I thought they weren’t “ready enough.” What I’ve learned is that the act of sharing an idea—whether in a grant proposal, a pilot project, or even a classroom activity—creates momentum and brings people alongside you. I’d remind myself that progress comes from taking small, imperfect steps and building on them.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

In 10 years, I see myself leading major initiatives that shape how engineering education integrates sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurship. My goal is to drive change at a national scale, working across universities and with partners in industry and government to make these approaches the norm rather than the exception.

Learn more about Dalya’s innovation journey.