Threeteams face offinthe finals of the second annual Community Impact Challenge (CIC), a grant competition to encourage students of Emporia State University to make an impact on pressing issues facing the Emporia community. The finals will be at 5 p.m. Oct. 23, in the Blue Key Room in ESU’s Memorial Union.
The teams of ESU students, each with 3-4 members, were selected as finalists among the applicants to present their ideas before a panel of judges. Teams will give 10-12 minute presentations about their chosen solutions to a problem they have identified in the Emporia community, followed by 5-10 minute question-and-answer sessions. A panel of faculty, staff, alumni, ESU students and community partners will choose a winner. The winning team will receive a $500 grant to complete its proposed solution, which must be carried out by May 2020.
The CIC aims to inspire students of ESU to participate in community engagement. The finalists have proposed to work with local organizations to develop meaningful and creative solutions to real-life community issues such as those related to poverty and health and well-being.
Community Hornets and ESU’s Department of Communication and Theatre are encouraging members of the community to attend the final presentations. This event will allow community members the opportunity to meet the finalists and see what solutions they have to offer.
Last year the student winners of the inaugural CIC, Rachel Castro, Delaney Dold and Genevieve Lowery, launched Bag-A-Birthday, an initiative focused on providing low-income families in Emporia with supplies to celebrate a child’s birthday. Through the students’ donation drive supported by the CIC grant, more than 150 bags were created and made available for Emporia children.