Virginia Western Community College is one of the finalists selected for 2021 Community College Innovation Challenge it was recently announced!
The American Association of Community Colleges and the National Science Foundation has announced the 12 finalists for the 2021 Community College Innovation Challenge, a competition that seeks to strengthen entrepreneurial thinking among community college students by challenging them to develop STEM-based solutions to real-world problems.
Of the 12 finalists a team from Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke was selected to move onto the next phase, a Virtual Boot Camp in June that will have participants interact with entrepreneurs and experts in business planning, stakeholder engagement, strategic communication, and marketplace dynamics. The Boot Camp culminates in a Student Innovation Showcase with STEM leaders and Congressional stakeholders, and a pitch presentation to determine first, second, and third-place winning teams, with cash-prize awards.
Virginia Western Community College (Virginia)
The Community Coral Project is supporting coral growth through 3D printing of porous structures made of PLA, a plastic substitute made from fermented plant starch.
The 12 finalists and their projects are: Austin Community College (Texas), Bergen Community College (New Jersey), Borough of Manhattan Community College (New York), Columbus, (Ohio) State Community College; Henry Ford College (Michigan), Itawamba Community College (Mississippi), Ivy Tech Community College (Indiana), Johnson County Community College (Kansas), Nashua Community College (New Hampshire), Pasadena City College (California), Tarrant County College (Texas), and Virginia Western Community College (Virginia).
To receive updates about the Virtual Boot Camp and CCIC’s 2021 winners, follow @Comm_College or visit www.aaccinnovationchallenge.com.
About AACC
As the voice of the nation’s community colleges, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), delivers educational and economic opportunity for nearly 12-million diverse students in search of the American Dream. Uniquely dedicated to access and success for all students, AACC’s member colleges provide an on-ramp to degree attainment, skilled careers and family-supporting wages. Located in Washington, D.C., AACC advocates for these not-for-profit, public-serving institutions to ensure they have the resources and support they need to deliver on the mission of increasing economic mobility for all. https://www.aacc.nche.edu/
About NSF
The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2021 budget of $8.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions.
Each year NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.
