Merlynn Watanabe, the Programs and Operations Manager at Think Dignity, said she partnered with USD to learn how students see homelessness.
“Being able to work with a current student and creating these solutions through the mobile shower trailer, it was so inspiring to see because it was building that connection within USD but also seeing how anyone from any field, any practice, any discipline can contribute to ending homelessness and contribute to creating those human-centered changes when addressing homelessness,” Watanabe said.
Matteo Tousignant Hernandez, a recent graduate from USD Mechanical Engineering, helped bring the challenge's winning idea to life. He focused on redesigning the mobile showers with new COVID-19 cleaning procedures in place.