Franke Honors BCII Students Reimagine the Future of Old Tucson
Think of an idea that doesn’t exist yet—and build it.
That is the premise of the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation (BCII), a dual-degree program in the W.A. Franke Honors College that is designed to prepare students to think beyond their primary major and develop skills that will equip them for a future where the only guarantee is change.
The foundation of the BCII intro course, HNRS 270: Problems to Possibilities, involves working with industry, government, or community partners to create novel solutions to obstacles that these organizations face.
In other words, students work with actual companies to create real implementable ideas for solutions.
HNRS 270 aims to introduce students to transdisciplinarity: a synergistic collaboration of disciplines, working jointly to solve problems. There is no better place to explore transdisciplinarity than Franke Honors, where our students’ chosen majors range from the fine arts to the hard sciences, and everything in between.
BCII students conducting field research at Old Tucson.
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
In fall 2025, students in Problems to Possibilities partnered with Old Tucson Studios, an iconic Western film set and family theme park located just outside the city limits. Tony Sanders, Manager of Old Tucson, and Catherine Campbell, the Deputy Director at Pima County attractions and Tourism, presented BCII students with this challenge:
How might Old Tucson reimagine and present its core Western-themed offerings so that it attracts diverse audiences and local residents, while also evolving as a destination that deepens and broadens its guest market over the next decade?
With that, the students got to work. They explored complex problem-solving methods, met with the challenge partners, conducted site visits, and collaborated extensively within their transdisciplinary teams.
The course culminated in poster pitches from each team, addressing the above challenge and envisioning creative solutions for the future of Old Tucson.
Old Tucson Cooking Show
Leaning into Tucson’s designation as the UNESCO City of Gastronomy, a team of Franke Honors students proposed a rotation of food vendors and a Western-themed cooking competition as a storytelling medium. Potential food ideas included staples of the area: Sonoran dogs, Navajo tacos, Prickly Pear, and more.
The goal of their project is to enhance Old Tucson’s food offerings while also strengthening relationships with the community via local chef partnerships and excitement over new menu items.
The transdisciplinary team behind this project, comprised of students Madison Saltz (Communication), Meredith Scott (Economics), Kevin Robles (Information Science), Bodhi Sethi (Political Science), and Vienna Schloeder (Political Science), won the Mensch Prize—a monetary award for students who exhibit outstanding creative intelligence and innovative abilities.
“Being selected for this award meant a lot because it reflected the whole process behind the work,” said Kevin Robles. "Not just the final poster, but the systems thinking, research, and collaboration that went into developing a community-focused solution.”
Technology, More Food, and Immersive Experiences
During the final poster pitches, additional teams were recognized with awards for their innovative ideas.
Franke Honors students Gabrielle Mireles (Industrial Engineering), Reese Martin (Architecture), Mailyn Milan (Physiology), Joe Drexler (Optical Engineering), and Miel Marquez (Biology) focused on digital tools to enhance the park experience. Their project, Old Tucson+, is an app that includes package deals, park navigation, interactive maps and games to engage guests. In turn, the app would track data that would be valuable to Old Tucson’s future decision making.
Another award-winning team centered on a solution that also involved food. Sohan Kumandan (Physiology & Medical Sciences), Edward Madrid (Physiology & Medical Sciences), Cindy Huynh (Biology), Setora Latipova (Economics), and Noah Cristinzio (Biomedical Engineering) created The Old Tucson Food Frontier, involving curated menus and interactive dining experiences which would become the main attraction for park guests.
Other projects touched on a variety of other creative solutions such as engaging demonstrations in the park, attracting younger generations with themed events, personalized experiences for guests, heat mitigation in the summer months, and much more.
Fall 2026 BCII Courses
Each course in the BCII degree involves project with a local community or industry partner. Students will work together to tackle a challenge problem, taking on new perspectives, building a professional network, and gaining valuable experience along the way.
Fall 2026 partner announcement coming soon!
HNRS 270: Problems to Possibilities
Instructor: Kat Riesing
Mon/Wed | 9:30 - 10:45 AM | In-Person
Fall 2026
During this application-driven course, students will begin to understand how to evaluate and analyze complex problems within their dynamic systems through different lenses. Students will apply this analysis to collaboratively develop novel potential solutions, presented through different visualization and modeling techniques.
HNRS 271: Creative Practice and Methods
Instructor: Kat Reising
Tues/Thurs | 12:30 - 1:45 PM | In-Person
Fall 2026
Students will explore different creative approaches and methods to critically evaluate proposed solutions and projects. Students will explore risk analysis, develop research proposals, and use design thinking to solve complex problems. Students will partner with an external stakeholder to address a current, pressing challenge and take a project from idea to solution.