The VIP Idea Lab workshop is an immersive experience where innovation, collaboration and design thinking merge. The workshops are open to students from all majors and disciplines, faculty, staff and Valley community members. (Courtesy Photo)
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Community, Around Campus
By Amanda Alaniz
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – OCT. 15, 2025 – The Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship’s Vaqueros Innovation Platform (VIP) Idea Lab is hosting its second workshop “Be The Change through Collaboration Across Disciplines” on the Brownsville campus.
The workshop, in collaboration with UTRGV Office for Community Engagement, will be held on Friday, Oct. 17, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the UTRGV Campus Brownsville Interdisciplinary Academic Building. This workshop coincides with National Make a Difference Day, a moment to inspire service, collaboration, and positive impact.
The VIP Idea Lab workshop is an immersive experience where innovation, collaboration and design thinking merge. The workshops are open to students from all majors and disciplines, faculty, staff and Valley community members.
Dr. Sylvia Robles, UTRGV assistant professor of practice-entrepreneurship and innovation, is the coordinator for the VIP Idea Lab and Adopt a Startup Program. She said the workshop is designed to be both fun and transformative, a space where creativity meets purpose and innovation.
“We want every participant to walk away feeling empowered to be the change through collaboration across disciplines,” Robles, the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization CEO Faculty Advisor, said.
The participation for the 90-minute workshop will cap at 50 attendees to ensure an engaging, hands-on experience for everyone.
The workshop is a free event and lunch will be provided. Interested attendees must RSVP here.
Anyone with questions can contact Robles, sylvia.robles@utrgv.edu.
ABOUT UTRGV
Celebrating its 10th anniversary during the 2025-2026 academic year, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is on a mission to transform the Rio Grande Valley, the Americas and the world. One of the country’s largest Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Seal of Excelencia certified, UTRGV has earned national recognition for its academic excellence, social mobility and student success since opening in Fall 2015. Ranked among the Best Colleges for your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars in 2025 by Washington Monthly (#7 nationally; #1 in Texas), UTRGV continues to break enrollment records, launch new academic and athletics programs and progress toward achieving R1 research status.
The only university in Texas with schools of Medicine and Podiatric Medicine, UTRGV’s regional footprint spans South Texas – with locations, teaching sites, and centers established in Edinburg, Brownsville, Rio Grande City, McAllen, Weslaco, Harlingen, Laredo, Port Isabel and South Padre Island.