The Rules and Awards
Eligibility
- Entries can be from undergraduate and graduate students of Daytona Beach campus only.
- Students may only submit one entry, either individually or within a team. Multiple submissions will not be accepted.
- No more than three members can enter a team submission.
Overview
The Student Innovation Awards recognize innovation on Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach campus and the role that digital literacies and communication skills have in presenting ideas to a wider audience. One individual and one team winner receive cash awards ($1000 to individual, $2000 to a team), recognition at our awards banquet, and the opportunity to have their ideas considered for funding and implementation on the Daytona Beach campus. Other non-winning finalists may also have the opportunity to have their innovations funded.
Though not required, it is strongly encourage participants work under the supervision and with the support and guidance of a faculty mentor.
Round 1
The initial submission will include three components, (1) an executive summary, (2) a budget, and (3) a short application form.
- The executive summary should be no longer than 500 words and must include the following: a summary of why the innovation is needed, your proposed innovation, and the benefits of your innovation. Students are encouraged to consult the Academic Advancement Center for assistance in writing their executive summary. They will be judged on their clarity, innovation, feasibility, and persuasiveness.
- The budget should be no more than one page and may take any format. It should provide a detailed explanation of how the $5,000 will be spent.
- The short application form will be a fillable component of the submission to accurately collect participant information.
Submissions must be received by midnight, Thursday, January 31, 2019.
Semi-Finals
Semi-finalists will be chosen from the round 1 submissions both for the individual and team categories. The number of semi-finalists will depend upon the quality of the initial submissions though no more than 10 semi-finalists will be chosen. Semi-finalists will be required to submit one component, a professional video pitch.
The professional video pitch should capture why your innovation should be funded. You will upload your film to YouTube using your own account. You will then provide the link through the submission process. Submissions should be no longer than 2 minutes. In the video, introduce yourself and/or the team, explain the need for your innovation, and describe the innovation and its benefits would be. Remember, the video should be professional and will be judged not only on the content and ideas but also the presentation. Students are encouraged to utilize the Digital Studio to seek feedback and guidance, edit the video, and perfect the video pitch. Students will be held to the highest standards for ethical use of media. Include only original work, CreativeCommons materials that are appropriately attributed, and license-free media. They will be judged on their clarity, creativity, persuasiveness, professionalism, and ethical use of media.
Submissions must be received by midnight, Friday, March 8, 2019.
Finals
Finalists will be chosen for both the individual and team categories. No more than 6 finalists will be chosen. Finalist submissions include a live pitch of their idea to an audience of campus leaders on Wednesday, April 3.
All finalists must not only attend but actively participate in the pitch. Finalists will have the opportunity to work with a faculty member from the communications department to perfect their oral pitch. Pitches should be no longer than 3 minutes followed by discussion, including question and answer, for up to an additional 10 minutes. This is the last opportunity to persuade the judges to fund the innovation. They will be judged on their persuasiveness, innovation, professionalism, and responsiveness to questioning.
Funding for winning innovations is not guaranteed.
Awards
The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and The Office of Undergraduate Research will offer two prizes, $1,000 to an individual and $2,000 to a team, with the best judged innovative idea. Judges reserve the right not to award one of these prizes if the entries are not deemed feasible or innovative enough to warrant selection.
Questions should be submitted to Dr. Kadie Hayward Mullins at .