DePaul students were celebrated for their achievements in innovation at the fifth annual Student Innovation Awards on Feb. 12, at TechNexus, one of Chicago’s premier collaborative working spaces and innovation hubs. $7,500 in scholarship money was awarded to students whose innovative ideas have aided in inventing or improving a new product, service, process or technology.
“We created the Student Innovation Awards because students were generating so many amazing ideas,” Lisa Gundry, director of the Center of Creativity and Innovation, said in a press release on the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business website. “We wanted to encourage students by supporting them through scholarships. The act of articulating an idea to develop and implement takes a lot of creativity and persistence—and it’s important to recognize their efforts in support of innovation.”
Award winners were chosen from a pool of 80 submissions— a record number. First place recipients at both the undergraduate and graduate level each received a $2,000 scholarship; second place earned a $1,000; and third place earned a $500 scholarship. In addition, three Honorable Mention winners also were recognized at the event for their great ideas and were awarded cash prizes donated by Snap-On Tools, Inc.
Cassie Bungert, a DePaul MBA, won first place in the graduate division for Weather Box— a smart vending machine that uses technology to equip commuters, travelers and students with any weather-related convenience items, like umbrellas. The smart machine will allow customers to use their smartphones to check inventories, reserve items and make cashless payments. Bungert envisions Weather Boxes being placed in train stations, tourist areas, university campuses, airports and other highly travelled areas.
“To me, innovation is coming up with a useful solution to an existing problem that benefits a large group of people,” Bungert said. “Everyone I spoke with has a story on how my idea can help them and it is nice to share ideas with other innovators.”