Armen Award for Innovation Final Presentations – Photos and Video

On December 8,, the Armen Awards, given at GRCC’s annual innovation contest, were presented to three of the eight finalist teams for their proposals on how to reduce on-campus parking by 50% by the year 2015.

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The winners were Pam Scott, Leah vanHartesveldt and Doug vanHartesveldt for their idea, “Raiders Ride the Rapid!,” a ride-pass partnership that would allow students to take the bus and also allow GRCC and The Rapid to compile useful information on route usage. For getting first place, the team received a $3,000 cash prize.

Second place, and a $1500 prize, went to Nathaniel Shapiro, Addie Duy Dong and David Friday for “Using Hybrid Classes.” A hybrid class is a combination of online tools and regular class sessions, which require fewer class sessions – so less parking is needed – but doesn’t entirely eliminate the face-to-face meetings most students prefer.

Third place went to Cadence Mercer-Curtis, Laura K. Byers and Mary Beth Beighley for their idea, “Community Involvement,” which seeks alternative parking places and better partnership with The Rapid. The team received $750.

The contest, now in its second year, has been presented by GRCC’s Innovation Team, a subgroup of its Keller Future Center.  The contest has been funded by a long-time donor and college supporter Armen Oumedian.

Innovation Ideas Announced at Armen Awards This Thursday – 12/8/11

Out of the more than 20 ideas submitted for this years competition, 8 of the Top 10 teams remain in the competition for the $3,000 grand prize. Come watch innovation in action in the Calkins Science Center Auditorium Thursday from 6 – 8 PM. This year’s teams have been competing to come up with the most innovative ideas for reducing the need for and use of on-campus parking by 50% by 2015. The first place team will receive $3000; second, $1500; and third, $750. The Armen Awards are named for Armen Oumedian, long-time GRCC donor and innovation enthusiast.

Video – GRCC’s First Ever “Armen Award” Innovation Competition

Last week, the first ever “Armen Award” for innovation at GRCC was bestowed on teams comprised of students, faculty and staff for their ideas to make the college more sustainable and help reduce costs that the college faces.  Watch the pitches, question and answer sessions, and the awards ceremony in its entirety here:

Innovation Competition Final Judging 4/19/11

Final judging for GRCC’s innovation competition will take place Tuesday, April 19, 2011 from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Calkins Science Building Auditorium

Dr. Ender and GRCC Alumnus and Philanthropist, Armen Oumedian, who generously provided the prize money for the competition, will announce the winners for the first GRCC Innovation Competition. The 2010-11 competition topic was Sustainability. The question posed to teams was “How can we reduce our energy costs so that we can use these savings to benefit programs that support student success?”

Seven teams are in the final running. Each team has at least one faculty, one staff and one student. Prizes will be awarded for 1st place – $3,000; 2nd place – $1,500; and 3rd place – $750. Please come support your colleagues and students who entered this first time competition. Refreshments will be served.

Be A Steward of Our Planet And Save GRCC Some Green

Think about how many times you have gone to a meeting or a conference on GRCC business, only to arrive and realize someone else from GRCC is there, too!

On our GroupWise Post-It board you will now find an entry called Ride Share. If you are traveling to a meeting, just post where and when you are going so others can contact you about riding. The names of interested riders would come directly to you so you can make all decisions.
Earn $5.00! When you post and find at least one rider, email Sara Yob at syob@grcc.edu , give her your name, the name of the person riding along and where you went, and we’ll forward you a 5 dollar bill! You can do this up to three times.

The $5 incentive is funded by the team’s 1st round prize money ($100) and will expire when we give you all of the money! The second round, and this test run, end on March 1.

This effort is a “proof of concept” trial for GRCC’s Innovation Challenge team focused on reducing reimbursable mileage, so that that money can be transferred to student-oriented programs here at GRCC. Here’s an example of how easy the savings could be accrued: Just two people sharing one round trip to Cadillac, approx. 190 miles, would save about $100 and 200 lbs of CO2.

This pilot program is part of the innovation challenge, and now you are being challenged to participate!

Photos: “Armen Awards” Top Ten Finalists Announced Yesterday

Yesterday GRCC named the top ten teams in their first annual innovation competition, “The Armen Awards,” a challenge that asks employees and students for a solution to the question: How can we reduce our energy costs so that we can use these savings to benefit programs that support student success?

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The top ten ideas were (not ranked in order):

• Solar panels in Applied Technology Center Atrium – Mark Dodd
• Employee Signs to reduce use of handicap access doors – Albert Dupuy
• Student Green roof water and energy savings plan – Ashley Fannon
• Student Mobile phone app that would encourage employees and students to make small changes in daily activities to conserve resources – Derek DeVries, Szymon Machajewski, Garret Brand, Eric Kunnen and Isaac Davila-Carreon
• Employee Remove lights from vending machines – Renee Gue
• Student Air curtains at all school entry doors – Alan Maillet
• Student Bike share program between campuses – Charlotte Pease
• Employee Rethink Water: Free-standing water filter/dispenser – Joshua Smith
• Student Fruit and veggie stands to replace vending machines – Sheilah Viveros
• Student Mileage reimbursement reductions to encourage carpooling, virtual meetings – Sarah Yob, employee.

Each top ten team received a $100. Each team included at least one student, faculty, and staff person from any GRCC location in Kent and Ottawa County. These teams will be reduced to the top three by April and will win $750, $1500 or $3000. The winning idea will be implemented at GRCC during the 2011-2012 school year.  For more information, visit grcc.edu/innovationchallenge

Watch the Innovation Competition Top Ten LIVE

Twenty ideas were submitted for the first ever GRCC Innovation Competition.  This year’s topic centered around sustainability and judges from the GRCC Sustainability Council selected the top 10 ideas.

These top 10 ideas moving forward to Round 2 of the competition will be announced at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 in the Board Library on the 5th floor of the Main Building.  Employees and students are invited to attend.

To watch the announcement LIVE via Ustream, visit www.grcc.edu/grcctv

GRCC Innovation Competition Top 10 Ideas Announced

Twenty ideas were submitted for the first ever GRCC Innovation Competition.  This year’s topic centered around sustainability and judges from the GRCC Sustainability Council selected the top 10 ideas.

These top 10 ideas moving forward to Round 2 of the competition will be announced at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 in the Board Library on the 5th floor of the Main Building.  Employees and students are invited to attend.

Round One of Innovation Challenge Wrapped up: Judges Deliberating

Round 1 of the Innovation Competition is now closed. A BIG congratulations and thank you to all the faculty, staff and students who took a risk and are willing to help us create new solutions to energy use on campus.

We received 19 ideas and now our panel of judges will be deliberating and choosing the Top 10 to move forward to Round 2.

Round 1 winners of $100 will be announced on December 1.

Those ideas/teams will go on to Round 2 and compete for the $3,000 grand prize!

Keep watching the website and GRCC Today for details on the Dec. 1 celebration!

Innovation Challenge Reminder: Kickoff Friday

[CORRECTED] The GRCC Innovation Challenge kicks off on October 1st.  Don’t forget teams need to be created with at least one staff member, one faculty member, and one student (with a maximum of six total team members).  For complete details go to grcc.edu/innovationchallenge.

Innovation Challenge Update: 9/3/10

The GRCC Innovation Challenge will kick off October 1st and already we  have nearly 10 entries!  If you need help in putting a team together
or you want to be placed on a team please don’t hesitate to let the  Innovation Challenge team know.  Drop us an email (InnovationChallenge@GRCC.edu) or check us out online:  www.grcc.edu/innovationchallenge

Video: Innovation Challenge

The hilarious video put together by GRCC’s Media Technologies department and featuring Alumnus and Philanthropist Armen Oumedian is available:

For more information on entering the Innovation Challenge, visit www.grcc.edu/challenge