Community Innovation Awards

Objective:
Through the Community Innovation Awards and the partnerships forged through this program, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Daytona Beach will help strengthen the local community by addressing some of the area’s greatest challenges and empowering students to apply their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, classroom knowledge, and innovative ideas to solve these real-world problems.

Register by October 1, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. at www.tinyurl.com/eraucia2019. 

Outcomes:
Through this event, we aim to:

• Provide meaningful, project-based academic enrichment experiences which address real community challenges.
• Promote retention of all students, particularly students of promise and those looking to find their niche on campus, by providing a unique, meaningful experiential learning opportunity.
• Connect meaningfully with community stakeholders, fostering long-lasting, high-impact relationships between leaders throughout Volusia and Flagler Counties and the University.
• Provide a platform from which to foster long-term partnerships with community leaders that improve the greater community, engaging campus stakeholders.

Overview:
Over an eight week period, student teams will, with the support of the Office of Undergraduate Research and a trained community mentor, have the opportunity to research and explore a community challenge and propose a solution to a panel of community leaders.

Once registered, teams will receive access to an online learning community with resources and developmental modules. During the first week of the program, they will be assigned to a trained community mentor who has experience in developing real-world solutions to address wicked problems in the area (e.g. homelessness, environmental issues, domestic violence, etc.). With these resources, their mentor, and several optional workshops and events, the teams will craft a short written proposal and 3-5 minute pitch to present to a panel of community leaders on November 22, 2019.

The panel will select a winning team to be awarded a cash prize. Teams may also have the opportunity to work with appropriate community organizations to implement their proposals, when feasible.

To register, go to www.tinyurl.com/eraucia2019 and complete the form by October 1, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. 

If you have any questions, e-mail haywardk@erau.edu.