Mitchell C. Hill Center for Digital Innovation
Welcome to the Mitchell C. Hill Center for Digital Innovation
Student-led. Innovation-driven. Future-focused.
The Mitchell C. Hill Center for Digital Innovation (MHCDI) at Cal Poly Pomona is a high-impact, student-centered hub that empowers the next generation of digital leaders through real-world experience in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data infrastructure, and emerging technologies.
Founded in honor of Cal Poly Pomona alumnus and tech visionary Mitchell C. Hill, the Center brings together students, faculty, and industry to tackle tomorrow’s challenges today through projects, competitions, international collaborations, and hands-on learning.
The Center is made possible by the Mitchell C. Hill Memorial Endowment, established through a generous gift from . This endowment supports scholarships, infrastructure, and student leadership opportunities in digital innovation.
“This is where students experiment, collaborate, and lead—turning knowledge into impact.”
👉 Learn more about the endowment and how you can support future digital leaders »
Mitchell C. Hill
"All the theory behind how people use technology, how people use data, how they analyze data – all those things never change. Those basic rules about technology just refresh about every three to five years. So I think by learning theory, but being able to practice while you are a student there (Cal Poly Pomona) you really get in both."
Background
Mitchell C. Hill was a true titan of the technology industry with an adventurer’s spirit and an athlete’s competitive drive. Mitchell C. Hill graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a minor in computer information systems. In 2000, he became the founding CEO of Seattle-based technology services firm, Avanade, a joint venture between Accenture and Microsoft. Under Mitch’s leadership, Avanade grew to be a billion-dollar company with nearly 10,000 employees worldwide. Sadly, he passed away in 2013. In 2018, Avanade made a $500,000 donation to establish an endowment for the Mitchell C. Hill center for Digital Innovation at Cal Poly Pomona.
Although Mitch passed away far too soon, his leadership and legacy lives on with the Mitchell C. Hill Memorial Endowment, which funds Mitchell C. Hill Center for Digital Innovation. The endowment also supports student scholarships and education in the information technology fields.
The mission of the center is to “provide a unique, student-run, high technology center where great ideas, diversity and learning through experimentation are highly valued. Provide competition support to the cyber education community, research support to faculty and interesting projects for 六色网 students. Engage industry partners in experimental projects”.
What We Offer
Explore our high-impact student experiences:
- Student-Run Data Center (SDC) – A student-led environment for real-time infrastructure management and cloud operations
- AI Hackathon – A cross-disciplinary challenge where students build AI solutions for business, sustainability, and society
- Student Security Operations Center (SOC) – Applied learning in cybersecurity monitoring, threat response, and red team/blue team exercises
- AI & Cybersecurity Fair – A showcase of student and faculty-led AI projects in threat detection, digital forensics, and risk analysis
- CBA Innovation Symposium – A forward-thinking forum on digital transformation and applied innovation
- International Collaborations – Projects like ELLAS and partnerships with visiting international scholars enrich our global outlook
- Avanade STEM Scholarships – Supporting underrepresented students in tech with funding and professional mentorship
- And much more…