Six J-Term students reflect the breadth of what change-making can look like and demonstrate what happens when student creativity meets community-centered action.
Live It Fund
Live It Fund
Visualize the change you hope to see and Live It!
Live It Fund supports students in activating the change they wish to see in the world. Students are provided funding and hands-on support in developing, testing, and piloting innovative solutions to complex problems they have identified on campus, in community, and across the globe.
J-Term 2027
What impact would you make with $2,000?
The Live It Fund provides funding for J-Term and Summer projects (Summer includes an additional project support stipend). Students participate in structured programming (approx. 6-weeks J-term and/or 10-weeks summer) to help refine and realize their project ideas alongside a cohort of fellow changemakers.
J-Term Live It Fund projects run from mid-December 2026 through late January 2027. Applicants need to include a project timeline in their proposal.
J-Term Live It Fund Important Dates
| Monday, September 28 | Application Opens |
| Thursday, October 1: Noon -1:00 pm | Student Panel & Info Session | #250 DeWitt Wallace Library |
| Thursday, October 20: Noon -1:00 pm | Workshop: Identifying and Framing a Critical Problem | #250 DeWitt Wallace Library |
| Tuesday, November 10: Noon -1:00 pm | Macathon Ideas to Action Session | #250 DeWitt Wallace Library |
| Thursday, November 12: 5:00 pm | Application Closes |
| Monday, November 23 | Final Awards Announcement |
| Thursday, February 4: 11:30 am-1:00 pm (TBD) | J-Term Live It Fund Final Showcase |
Have application questions? Check out the J-Term Live It Fund info packet for additional details and to learn more.
Summer & J-Term Participants
Live It Fund News & Highlights
Caroline ‘Fitz’ Fitzpatrick ’26 spent her January learning from community—amplifying the voices of immigrant business owners.
The Live It Fund empowers students filled with hope and drive to transform their ideas into action to change the world for good.
We asked some of the J-Term 2025 participants about their experiences working on their Live It Fund projects.
Students lean into an opportunity to support folks outside of campus or even fellow students.
“I learned that the first step is to be confident in my own ideas without expecting them to be right all the time.” Nibia Becarra Santillan ʼ25
“It was just so fulfilling seeing so many people come together in this shared interest and understanding of how music is so impactful in our lives.” – Grace Lin ’23
“Sometimes we forget that there are people dying from something as ridiculously old and well-known as snake bites.” – Chloe Vasquez ’24
Questions?
Email [email protected], Erik Halaas, Program Manager.