Adam Brock Receives Student Innovation Fund Grant at Lebanon Valley College

2016 Feb 10

Nine Lebanon Valley College student proposals are one step closer to implementation thanks to inaugural Student Innovation Fund grants announced by LVC President Dr. Lewis E. Thayne. Nine grants were awarded to 20 students, including Adam Brock of Hummelstown, Pa., for projects ranging from sustainability and outdoor appreciation to student programming and the arts.

Brock, a graduate of Lower Dauphin High School, is pursuing a bachelor of science in digital communications at The Valley. The LVC Outdoors Club, launched in 2014, will use this grant to purchase outdoor equipment such as kayaks and hiking gear, which will be made available for students to rent and enjoy. An all-weather storage area, located in the old tack shop at Heisey Farm and will also offer students a place to store their own outdoor equipment that may not fit in a dorm. An electronic rental system is also planned to facilitate the rental process.

Similar to the President's Innovation Fund, awarded annually to faculty and staff projects, this fund was launched to encourage student-initiated pilot projects. The selected projects have long-term, wide-reaching potential to foster transformative learning on and off campus.

President Thayne cited that one of the major institutional goals for the College is "to create a demonstrably superior academic and co-curricular experience for our students that prepare graduates for successful performance in the competitive national and international market."

Students were invited to formulate proposals and submit them for review during the fall semester. A total of $25,000 was available in three categories:

- Innovative programming that enhances the educational and/or co-curricular experience of students or programs.

- Strategic focus funding that considers initiatives that incorporate aspects of the Envision 2020 strategic plan.

- Program Enhancement funding intended to improve current programs and/or initiatives.