Meramec showcases finalists and announces a campus winner for Innovation of the Year
By: REBECCA BIUNDO
In-Depth Editor
Every year STLCC recognizes faculty and who are willing to improve the college with new programs and installments through an awards program called Innovation of the Year. Each campus has five finalists and awards one to be the campus winner.
“Innovation comes in a variety of ways, shapes and forms but it’s about opening up your mind and thinking about things in a different way and seeing how you can improve things,” said Pam McIntyre, STLCC-Meramec’s interim president.
The Innovation of the Year committee is comprised of Meramec faculty and staff who ultimately choose and agree on a campus winner. This year’s committee included Renee Dingman, Amanda White, Amelia Bursi, Sophia Pierroutsakos, Pam McElligott , Reni Joseph, Vicki Ritts, Ken Wood, Linda Nissenbaum, Sue Daniel, Hope Steiner, Lisa Stepanovic.
On Feb. 20, The Innovation of the Year committee awarded Debbie Corson and the Service Learning Advisory with this year’s innovation of the year: the Student Philanthropy Grant Program. The program is designed to let students write grants who are participating in service learning through classes. Each year, the grants are then awarded to students.
Corson hopes the program will get more participants and create more competition between students and grants. Corson was also nominated for her innovation, Semester of Service Program.
“It’s a real motivator for students to get involved in their community and that’s part of the whole idea of service learning.”Corson said, “Doing something that might give them a whole new perspective on life can be important to their co-curricular transcript.”
WINNERS: Debbie Corson & Rebecca Helbling of the Service Learning Advisory Committee Student Philanthropy Grant Program (SPGP)
With the SPGP, students are encouraged to write grants while being involved with service learning. The program aids 1-2 grants a year but Corson would like to write more to increase competition in the future.
FINALISTS:
1) Suzzie Huff & Jean Kennedy Academic Advisors Allied Health Academic Advising
Since academic advising can be limited to open appointments, health students may not be able to receive the help they need, said Kennedy. Allied Health Academic Advising gives health students a chance to get advising even when the office is packed with other students.
2) Gail Hafer, Eric Nielsen & Steve Schamber, The Canned Food Game
The Canned Food Game offers students a chance to give back and get benefits back at the same time. As classes become teams, the amount of cans brought in translate to points they get tallied up all semester.
3) Debbie Corson, Service Learning Coordinator, Semester of Service Program
The Semester of Service program was devised by Corson to reward students for completing 45 service hours in a semester. Students participating in the program will receive a certificate of service, letters of recommendation, and Missouri Campus Compact website recognition.
4) Katy Smith, Reference Librarian, Virtual Library Tour
Smith introduces Meramec to an online virtual tour of the library. Smith hopes this will cure students’ “library anxiety,” by letting students research the library without being there. This would take the place of library orientations on and off campus.
