Latest news with #CommunityCollegeInnovationChallenge
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AACC, NSF Announce Winning Teams of 2025 Community College Innovation Challenge
Bergen Community College; Perimeter College at Georgia State University; and Dallas College took home winning titles following presentations of their STEM innovations to address real-world challenges WASHINGTON, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), in partnership with the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), announced the three winning teams of this year's Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC). The annual competition seeks to strengthen entrepreneurial thinking among community college students by challenging them to develop STEM-based solutions to real-world problems. It also enables students to discover and demonstrate their capacity to use STEM to make a difference in the world and to translate that knowledge into action. The first, second and third-place winning teams and their innovations are listed below. First Place: Bergen Community College, NJProject: Pop-Up Hydroponic Farms Second Place: Perimeter College at Georgia State University, GAProject: RoyaNest – Life-Saving Care Device for Asphyxia Neonatorum Third Place: Dallas College, TXProject: Alerts VIA Detection and Ranging (AVIADAR) This week, 12 community colleges selected as finalists in a national competition attended an Innovation Boot Camp where they learned from entrepreneurs and experts in business planning, stakeholder engagement, strategic communication, and marketplace dynamics. The Boot Camp culminated in a Student Innovation Poster Session with STEM leaders and congressional stakeholders, and a 5-minute pitch presentation to a panel of industry and entrepreneurial professionals determining the winning teams. "I cannot stress enough how proud the NSF Directorate for STEM Education is to co-sponsor this competition," said James L. Moore III, assistant director for STEM Education. "The innovative ideas presented by these teams exemplify the knowledge and skills that are essential for addressing current and future real-world challenges. For over 75 years, the NSF has supported opportunities like the Community College Innovation Challenge, empowering talented students from community colleges and beyond. Congratulations to this year's winners and their dedicated mentors." Among the ideas the 12 finalist teams presented this year are innovative and transformative solutions that address food insecurity, burn care, aviation safety, nicotine addiction, energy efficiency, fire prevention and safety, neonatal health, and autonomous and assistive technologies. "This competition is a remarkable testament to the ingenuity and drive of our nation's community college students," said Walter G. Bumphus, president and CEO of AACC. "We are honored to partner with NSF to support these talented student teams as they apply their innovative thinking and problem-solving skills to address real-world challenges. The projects presented reflect not only excellence in STEM but also a strong commitment to societal and economic progress. Congratulations to the team from Bergen Community College and to all of this year's exceptional finalists." To receive updates about the CCIC's 2025 winners, follow @Comm_College or visit About AACCAs the voice of the nation's community colleges, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), delivers educational and economic opportunity for more than 10 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. About NSFAbout 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 2024 budget of $9.06 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. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE American Association of Community Colleges Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
HCC Student Innovation team advances to national finals
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – A trio of Holyoke Community College students is heading to Washington, D.C., next month after their sustainable cooling system project for AI-driven data centers earned them a spot in the finals of a prestigious nationwide innovation competition. Jacob Bissonnette of Holyoke, Anjou Edwards of Westhampton—both business administration majors—and Nora Goncalves, an engineering major from Williamsburg, were selected as one of 12 finalist teams for the 2025 Community College Innovation Challenge. Massachusetts millionaires tax is funding these public schools The annual contest is organized by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in partnership with the National Science Foundation. Their project, titled 'Green Computer Processing – Reducing Data Energy Consumption,' aims to build a closed-loop cooling system designed to recapture lost energy and reduce waste in large-scale computing centers. It was one of only two projects from Massachusetts to reach the final round, alongside a team from Middlesex Community College. 'It's an amazing feeling, because it wasn't just the culmination of all our efforts, but the efforts of everyone who's been supporting us this far – the faculty, our coaches, the whole school helping to put us up,' said Bissonnette. From June 9–12, the team will participate in an 'Innovation Boot Camp' in Washington, where they will receive coaching on business planning, stakeholder engagement, communication strategies, and market dynamics. The boot camp concludes with a student poster session on Capitol Hill with STEM leaders and congressional stakeholders, followed by formal pitch presentations to determine the winning teams. The competition, now in its ninth year, is designed to cultivate entrepreneurial thinking among community college students by challenging them to solve real-world problems using STEM-based approaches. Teams consist of two to four students and a faculty or administrator mentor. 'Congratulations to the 2025 CCIC finalists,' said Walter G. Bumphus, President and CEO of AACC. 'The finalist projects showcase the incredible talent and creativity of the nation's community college students. I am proud to stand with our partners at the National Science Foundation to provide this forum to advance these student leaders as they become our future scientists, entrepreneurs, and engineers, addressing real-world issues and positively impacting our daily lives.' The HCC team is advised by Michele Cabral, professor of accounting at the college. 'The national Community College Innovation Challenge is designed to enable community college students to discover and demonstrate their capacity to use STEM to make a difference in the world and to translate that knowledge into action,' said Cabral. 'Jacob, Anjou, and Nora will be the first group of students ever representing HCC on this national stage.' Holyoke Community College appoints first Latina Chief of Police Bissonnette and Edwards were originally recognized as 'Ultimate Achievers' during HCC's inaugural campus Innovation Challenge last fall. Goncalves joined their team in the spring to prepare for the national contest. Top teams in the challenge will receive cash awards of $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second, and $1,000 for third, along with access to patent experts to help further develop their ideas. 'Even if we don't make it to the top three, we still get to have this amazing experience and add that to our resumes,' said Bissonnette. 'It's incredible for our professional development.' 'We'll get to network with experts in the field, politicians, and people who know how to get patents,' added Edwards. 'So, if you want to make this business into something more serious, which is our goal, this is the perfect first step.' Other finalist projects in this year's competition addressed a range of issues, including food insecurity, burn treatment, aviation safety, nicotine addiction, neonatal care, fire prevention, and assistive technologies. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
