A group of computer science majors at Trinity College are participating in Trinity's Center for Entrepreneurship's pilot program to develop new uses for artificial intelligence with business and community partners.
The nine fourth-year students participating in the Capstone project received training from the Project Management Institute during the fall semester, preparing them to serve as Applied AI + Quantum Innovation Capstone Fellows this spring. The students are the first in Trinity College's ENTEVATE AI and Quantum Innovation (AIQUI) sandbox. Clients present use case scenarios to “Scrum teams” made up of students, faculty, third-party AI experts, rapid prototypers, and vendors, who collaborate to find creative AI-based solutions to real-world problems.
Kenneth A. Kousen, visiting professor of the practice of computer science and associate director of STEM initiatives in Trinity's Center for Entrepreneurship, meets with students weekly to advise them on the project. This project aims to help students prepare for the workforce and discover different uses of AI.
“We don't know how AI will impact our lives, but students who can use these tools will have an advantage,” Kousen said. “These students will have the opportunity to work with well-established companies in the field, try out all the AI tools, apply them to real-world problems, and learn for themselves what can and cannot be done.”
Danny Briere, Luan Family Executive Director of Trinity’s Entrepreneurship Center, worked with ENTEVATE’s Ecosystem and Innovation Roadmapping team to bring the AIQUI Innovation Sandbox Fellowship to Trinity. “Students are being trained in real-world skills that employers want but are not typically taught in college,” Briere said. “This implicitly gives students an advantage when it comes to finding employment.”
Students will work in teams to work on use cases for clients such as Connecticut Children's Medical Center, the City of Hartford, Ticket Network (a ticket marketplace for live events), the nonprofit Connecticut Invention Council, and Xapa, an AI-focused workforce development startup based in Silicon Valley. Rapid development teams from Cisco Systems, Google, and Microsoft collaborate with client technical teams, ENTEVATE experts, student teams, and specialized platform vendors such as SoftServe for large visual model (LVM) analysis and Purple Lab for data anonymization to build AI-powered solutions.
For example, the City of Hartford's use case includes using AI to help the city analyze CCTV video to determine where drivers run the most red lights and inform the city where to install recently approved red light traffic cameras for enforcement purposes. Brielle said more AI platforms and vendors will be added to work with future use case teams.
“This type of work is very hands-on, and that really sets our students apart,” Briere says. “We want Trinity to be seen as a strategic partner, not just a provider of interns. We work with leading companies to solve strategic problems.”
Trinity students who participate in this program see clear value in the experience. Yeabsira Bizualem ’26, a computer science major and applied mathematics minor from Ethiopia, said the training helped her become familiar with the terminology and technology she will use in this role and in future employment. “The way we approach the problem allows us to see the results in real-world applications,” she said. Bizualem added that the project will provide industry experience and help develop stronger interpersonal skills. “We want to be a good competitor in the job market,” she said.
Shivansh Dwivedi ’26, a computer science and physics double major who came to Trinity from India as part of the Next Genius Scholarship Program, says knowing a little about computer science will help you in any field. “I really wanted to work on applied AI, and if you don't know how to work with AI through different use cases, you're missing out,” he said. “This opportunity gives us the opportunity to collaborate with companies that have valuable and practical use cases for AI. They provide us with guidance and resources. We simply leverage and develop our skills and build something that has the potential to make a positive difference.”
Kwaku A. Agyapong, 26, a computer science and French studies double major with a philosophy minor from the Bronx, New York, said he wants to develop his technical abilities in addition to communication and professional relationship skills. “It's about working with real stakeholders who are interested in tangible solutions that show up in people's lives. The 'applied' part of 'applied AI' makes all the difference. It's part of the real world. Coming into our professional lives and being exposed to it as a senior is invaluable,” he said. “I would like to make the most of this opportunity and use it for job hunting.”
The goal is for each student to work on one use case study through the end of the spring 2026 semester. The final project will be presented to the client and Travelers representatives, and a prize will be awarded to the best senior project in the computer science category.
Trinity student project managers met with the initial teams from Cisco and the City of Hartford on Oct. 24 at 10 Constitution Plaza, and were joined by Michael Vinco, ENTEVATE’s managing director of innovation, venture and ecosystems.
“The Innovation Sandbox is a way to engage with large companies that want to test new innovations with a lens towards metrics and outcomes that are meaningful to their operations. These organizations need new innovations and a talented workforce trained in how to use them,” Binko said. “We had the idea of working with Cisco to bring in academic institutions that are assigning students to work on use cases with innovators and clients.” Trinity is the first academic institution to hire AIQUI Innovation Sandbox Fellows.
At the Oct. 24 workshop, Cisco representatives spoke about how their company sees the emergence of customer-facing AI, and ENTEVATE and Cisco facilitated conversations with students about example use cases.
Binko said that even as technology takes new leaps forward, smart companies continue to invest in human capital. “It's all about having the talent to help drive results,” Binko said. “And liberal arts-trained minds seem to have a higher success quotient than others. They are trained in a wide range of skill sets, are willing to ask questions, and work well in teams. Liberal arts students are the most highly capable innovators. Also, one of the more unique aspects of the Trinity approach is the core computer science It's this combination of skills and perspective and learning from the Entrepreneurship Center that will truly set you apart from your fellow students on a meaningful level as they approach the job market both before and after graduation. ”
Brierre said Trinity College is working with the city of Hartford to create a workforce development pathway for students in AI and emerging technologies. The City of Hartford has announced plans to build an Applied AI Center downtown, and Trinity is the first university to take on the initiative, with students actively working on AI use cases.
Brierre added that he plans to provide more opportunities like this for Trinity students. “Trinity’s Entrepreneurship Center is as committed to innovation as anything else we do,” he said. “We want to be part of cutting-edge technologies such as AI and robotics. Our mission includes creativity, invention, innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Click here to learn more about Trinity's Entrepreneurship Center and how to get involved.
