At iZone, we believe every idea has the potential to make an impact. The Barbara J. Burger iZone is a collaborative community where University of Rochester students can explore bold ideas, solve real-world problems, and bring their projects to life.
Whether you’re just starting with a spark of inspiration or ready to test out a prototype, iZone gives you the tools, space, and support you need to take the next step.
Programming
Consulting
One-on-one peer support to help you shape your ideas, overcome challenges, and connect with the right resources.
Workshop & Classes
Hands-on experiences that teach you new mindsets and creative problem-solving skills you can use anywhere.
Events Gallery
our events are designed to inspire, connect, and grow your ideas.
Pitch Imperfect
A high-energy event where students present a completely random slide deck on the spot. Facing unpredictable and hilarious slides, participants are challenged to think on their feet, adapt quickly, and deliver a convincing pitch to a panel of judges.
MAG to Bag
A creative, hands-on collaboration between iZone and the Memorial Art Gallery (MAG). This drop-in printmaking workshop brought art directly to the River Campus, allowing students to design, carve custom stamps, and create their own unique, personalized tote bags.
Escape Room
An immersive event hosted during Meliora Weekend. Entirely designed and executed by a student team, this multi-day event transforms the iZone studio into a themed puzzle room, inviting students, faculty, and alumni to test their collaboration skills under pressure.
iMAGine
In the Zone
A dynamic, multi-week evening series that transformed the library into a high-energy venue. Blending student creativity with community wellness, the event showcased live performances from over six student DJs and invited peers to hang out, listen, and try live DJing.
Curlinarizone
A specialized initiative connecting students with local culinary startups and food innovators. Featuring a live cooking demonstration by Chef Degwanda Gause of DDEggs & More, the event highlighted the cultural history of soul food and fostered meaningful connections with urban-owned businesses.
CASC 161: Impact Workshop
Students from CASC 161 teamed up with peers and community partners to address regional issues. Focusing on UN Sustainable Development Goals for climate and food security, participants applied systems thinking to map out localized problems and pitch actionable ideas to expert advisors.
Venture Vibes
An intensive incubator initiative designed to accelerate student-led concepts. The program provided a collaborative framework for ambitious student founders to pitch ideas, cultivate essential business skills, engage in rigorous peer feedback, and establish a supportive professional innovation network.
Scare Fair
A beloved Halloween tradition and a core destination on the campus-wide Rush Rhees scavenger hunt. iZone transforms its workspace into an immersive, high-energy zone where students complete custom problem-solving challenges to earn stamps for exclusive access to the iconic tower.
