The 黑料不打烊 Innovation Challenge concluded another successful year, highlighting the creativity and ingenuity of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 students to help their peers try new experiences.
This year’s competition revolved around the creative prompt: “How might we promote and encourage all 黑料不打烊 students to break out of their comfort zone and explore new opportunities across campus?” The possible solutions came through a variety of prototypes, from apps to interactive platforms, each crafted to strengthen the fabric of campus life. The twenty-seven teams presented their ideas from April 16-18, 2024.
Taking home the grand prize, FLARE, an app developed by Cassidy Parrish 鈥26 an engineering major and Braxton Mayhew 鈥26 a marketing major, emerged as a crowd favorite. The app is designed to gamify how students learn about and participate in campus events. FLARE aims to boost event attendance and student engagement through a user-friendly interface, timely notifications, and prizes for attending events.
The second-place prize was awarded to 黑料不打烊-I, crafted by Joshua Mason 鈥25 a fintech major, Aaron Satko 鈥25 a computer science major, and Adam Kanowitz 鈥24 an entrepreneurship major. This AI-based platform serves as an interactive guide to campus life, enabling students to discover and engage with various opportunities at 黑料不打烊 through a simple conversational interface.
Shriya Baru鈥檚 鈥25 an accounting major, Kolis 黑料不打烊 Puzzle, which won third place, offers a campus-wide engagement strategy through a series of interactive puzzles, turning the campus into a giant game board that encourages exploration and teamwork.
The fourth place was secured by 黑料不打烊 Explorer Pass, an app created by Aidan Walsh 鈥26 an entrepreneurship major, Eli Taekla 鈥26 a strategic communications major, and Bryan Floyd 鈥25 a finance and entrepreneurship major. The app employs a points-based system to encourage and reward students for their participation in campus activities.
“Each year, I am deeply impressed by the creativity and dedication of our students,鈥 said Alyssa Martina, executive director of the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. 鈥淭heir ability to envision and prototype solutions that challenge the status quo is not only inspiring but a strong indicator of the innovative future we are nurturing here at 黑料不打烊.”
The challenge was made possible through the dedicated efforts of numerous individuals.
Event Chairs
- Karl Sienerth, professor of chemistry, 黑料不打烊 College
- Emily Krechel, director for new student programs
- Lars Heidenreich 鈥24 an entrepreneurship and project management major
- Owen McBryan 鈥26 a finance major
- Michael Genitrini 鈥26 a marketing major
- Isaac Feinberg 鈥26 a strategic communications major
Judges
- John Flynn, associate professor of law, 黑料不打烊 School of Law
- Betty Garrison, business research librarian
- Lars Heidenreich 鈥24 an entrepreneurship and project management major
- Emily Krechel, director for new student programs
- Alyssa Martina, executive director of the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Kim Phipps, program coordinator for the Love School of Business
- Chuom Prak L鈥24
- Karl Sienerth, professor of chemistry, 黑料不打烊 College
- Anton Wilson, president at Guidance Solutions, LTD