The TOM University Fellowship is a dynamic leadership and innovation program that trains university students across the U.S. to develop real-world, open-source solutions for people with disabilities and other underserved populations. TOM (Tikkun Olam Makers), a venture of Reut USA, launched this initiative to equip the next generation of changemakers with the skills, resources, and mindset to design for equity and inclusion.
Each year, TOM selects Fellows from campuses nationwidec-- including Stanford, Georgia Tech, Yale, Columbia, and UCLA -- to lead TOM communities on their campuses. Fellows are trained in human-centered design, digital fabrication, project management, and disability inclusion. They receive seed funding and mentorship to host accessible design events like Makeathons, Build Parties, and Inclusive Design Workshops, where students collaborate directly with Need-Knowers (individuals living with disabilities or with an intimate knowledge of a disability, such as occupational therapists) to co-create custom, impactful solutions.
TOM University’s approach is uniquely powerful because:
*It combines STEM education with direct community service
*It builds lasting design ecosystems on campus, empowering peers beyond the fellowship cohort
* It results in documented, replicable solutions available for free on tomglobal.org
Each TOM Fellow helps catalyze a full year of campus-based activity that reaches dozens of students, multiple Need-Knowers, and results in tangible, real-world impact.
In the 2024–25 academic year:
*74 TOM Fellows across 50+ global campuses are active
*Over 470 assistive technology solutions were developed and distributed in just the first semester
*TOM fellows are helping build a pipeline of engineers, designers, and technologists committed to inclusive innovation
With your support, TOM University can expand to more campuses, provide equitable access to resources for student changemakers, and directly improve the lives of hundreds of individuals annually.
