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Collin Yip Takes on Advisory Roles at Boston University and Eliot School, Contributing to Youth Education and Empowerment
Collin Yip’s strong advocacy for STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) has led him to serve on the Advisory Boards for Boston University, Innovate@BU, and the Eliot School.
Through the BU Advisory Board, he is able to ensure the academic standard at BU is being upheld. His dedication to entrepreneurship and learning led him to co-found and serve on the board for Innovate@BU; a University-wide initiative that enables all BU students to become drivers of innovation in their own lives, careers, and communities with signature programs that foster an entrepreneurial mindset.
Eliot School, classified as a Boston Public Innovation School, has charted its own course to high achievement, focusing on evolving instruction to excite curiosity and holistically immerse students in their learning. Part of its success is its STEAM education program which RAFI and Collin support with the understanding that education is the foundation for understanding differences and positive change.

Rafi launches SOMERBOT to support STEAM education in Somerville
Rafi is a co-founder and multi-year supporter of Somerbot, a nonprofit organization created to promote STEAM education in Somerville. Somerbot supports the Somerville High School Highlanders robotics team (FRC 6201) as well as the Somerville robotics league and developmental programs for students in grades 5-8.
Since Rafi co-founded Somerbot in 2020, the team has grown from 12 to 34 students, nearly 50% of the team members are female, and a handful of individuals working at companies in Somerville’s Innovation Hub have joined the FRC 6201 mentor program.

The Dojo @ Somernova
The Dojo is an experimental space and platform designed to connect local youth interested in robotics, coding, engineering, art, and design with entrepreneurs, companies, and learning opportunities. Its mission is to facilitate and inspire a collaborative and positive culture for local youth.
The Dojo is a collaboration between Somernova and Somerville Public Schools. Initial funding for Dojo programming has been provided by Somernova.

Rafi Invests in the North End Music & Performing Arts Center (NEMPAC)
NEMPAC is a new state-of-the-art school in Boston’s North End. “The arts provide people with community and belonging in a world that’s becoming more and more dominated by impersonal technology,” explains Collin Yip, Rafi’s Managing Director. “Ensuring that art and music programs are accessible to all clearly brings people together. The new community music and arts center will allow NEMPAC to scale and tremendously increase its positive impact on future generations.”

RAFI Supporting Students Striving for Change
Rafi supports the Somerville High School students who are striving to enact positive change within the community by participating in student-led initiatives like DLAB and the Peace March.
DLAB, aka ‘design lab,’ is a group of students from Somerville High School seeking to create Somerville’s very first youth center in order to help alleviate the problems facing Somerville youth. Working in partnership with SOMERNOVA, DLab analyzes the needs of the local youth and gathers data about what they need or would like to see within the community.
The Peace March was an event led by the student committee of Somerville High School to raise awareness about the violence that has been happening in and outside of school. Through this event, they sought to inspire action from the city and local community in order to prevent future violence.