The 2024-2025 Accelerating Innovation in Education Fellowship Cohort: Driving Innovation from Within

Horn Entrepreneurship is thrilled to welcome a fresh, dynamic group of fellows to its much-anticipated Accelerating Innovation in Education program. The fellowship, led by Dan Freeman, Founding Director, and Felicia Harrington, Assistant Director of Youth Programs, is designed to foster a culture of innovation and experimentation within K-12 education. The fellows have taken the time to develop new skills and understand the building blocks of an innovative school culture through an immersive two day summer program. The fellows will continue to meet as a community of practice throughout the upcoming school year.

The fellowship program brings together a diverse group of passionate leaders from comprehensive public, charter, and independent schools, who possess the vision and influence to drive significant change within their school communities. Among the selected fellows are:

Gicel Adon– International School for Liberal Arts (ISLA)

Michael Berger – Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School

Laura Burgos– Wilmington Learning Collaborative

Kris Cupillari– Scranton Preparatory School

Bill Hatcher– International School of Panama

Heather Hunt– Marvelwood School

Eric Kuminka– Penn-Delco School District

Manny Morelli– Glen Rock School District

Natasha Solomon– Linden Hall School for Girls 

Tereena Somayya– Innovation Charter High School

The relentless pursuit of transformation in K-12 education is a core commitment for this group of dedicated leaders. They are constantly seeking ways to innovate and elevate their practices as educators, aiming to profoundly impact the lives of their students. This drive to foster innovation within their school communities and maximize student outcomes is one of the key reasons individuals join cohorts like AIE.

"I feel equipped with a mindset to look for opportunities to question why and how we do what we do in service of getting better for students, and the tools on how to design and iterate options for solutions. At the end of the day, education is about reflection, and the AIE program provided me with a new lens through which to reflect. I had never thought about the fact that not all problems are opportunities, nor the fact that all institutions are constructs that can be changed. I am grateful for the thought partners and resources the AIE has given me, and I look forward to engaging with them next year and in the future."

-Manny Morelli, Glen Rock Public Schools

The Accelerating Innovation in Education Fellowship program aims to foster a collaborative and supportive learning environment where education leaders can exchange ideas, best practices, and insights. By bringing together educational leaders and professionals from different backgrounds to form a dynamic group with a shared goal of enhancing education through innovation, the cohort encourages the exploration of new strategies, fosters creativity, and creates a network through which participants can leverage each others’ expertise.

Initiated in 2022, the continuation of the Accelerating Innovation in Education program underscores Horn Entrepreneurship and the University of Delaware's commitment to driving positive change in education. By nurturing forward-thinking leaders, the program seeks to help schools foster a culture of innovation that permeates across faculty, students, and the wider community to increase outcomes of students and their future success.

For more information about the Accelerating Innovation in Education fellowship, please contact Felicia Harrington (feliciah@udel.edu).

About Horn Entrepreneurship

Horn Entrepreneurship serves as the creative engine for entrepreneurship education and advancement at the University of Delaware. Currently ranked among the best entrepreneurship programs in the US, Horn Entrepreneurship was built and is actively supported by successful entrepreneurs, empowering aspiring innovators as they pursue new ideas for a better world.