Before Grant Shinohara stepped into a classroom at the Carson College of Business, he had already completed multiple internships, run a custom manufacturing business, and conducted research. His early career path looked a lot like engineering—but his instincts were pulling him in a different direction.
Now a senior majoring in management information systems (MIS) and entrepreneurship, Shinohara is focused on bridging technology and real-world application. With a product development mindset and a drive to improve systems through innovation, he’s found a natural home at Carson.
Discovering a Better Fit
Shinohara graduated high school with his associate’s degree through the Running Start program and planned to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. But when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, he delayed college, choosing to take on internships at companies like Redline Detection, ZSK Technical Embroidery, and the biotech company Orlance, where he gained hands-on experience in product design, materials research, and vaccine delivery technology.
The work reinforced what he had always known: he was most engaged when building solutions and applying research in tangible ways.
When he eventually enrolled at WSU, he began studying mechanical engineering but soon realized a business degree could help him build the skills he needed to bring his ideas to life. Upon his return from a summer internship with the US Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC, he switched to the Carson College and says it’s one of the best decisions he’s ever made.
“I really love combining business and entrepreneurship with research and development,” he says. “I saw that studying business would help me achieve that path and pursue my entrepreneurial dreams.”
Gaining a Business Toolkit
Shinohara says one of the biggest takeaways from his entrepreneurship coursework and faculty mentors has been learning to determine when it’s more effective to refine an existing system rather than creating new solutions from scratch.
“Applied research and development are actually pretty closely tied to business,” he says. “In essence, you’re trying to create or develop something that provides value to people.”
Shinohara says networking and scholarship opportunities have been another major highlight of his time at Carson. He’s been active in the Sparks Program, received both the Don and Mary Ann Parachini and Rom J. Markin scholarships, and holds leadership roles as vice president of technology and alumni relations for the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi. He’s also a longstanding member of the MIS Club.
Building Tools for Education and Beyond
In addition to classes and leadership roles, Shinohara has been developing a prototype for an AI-enhanced educational platform that improves classroom efficiency and student engagement. Originally built as a desk-based unit, the project has evolved into a smart kiosk system that aims to streamline attendance, simplify classroom polling, and integrate with learning management systems like Canvas.
The idea grew from his experience as a student.
“I saw all these fragmented processes—manual roll calls, clunky polling apps, poor communication of changes on Canvas—and realized we could do better,” he says.
Shinohara estimates savings generated from his system would be significant. He says automating key classroom processes could save universities like WSU millions of dollars per year in faculty time while enhancing the student experience.
“Just improving something like attendance or course communication could have a huge ripple effect,” he says.
Beyond the classroom, Shinohara has his sights set on multiple sectors. He’s currently working on a regenerative medicine project involving red light therapy and has ideas for future ventures in aerospace materials, water filtration, and biotechnology.
Long term, he hopes to launch a research and development company that brings together multi-disciplinary teams to solve problems in a range of industries.
“Entrepreneurship is the glue,” he says. “It’s what connects all these ideas and allows them to be packaged and delivered to the world.”