Representatives of the IDEA Hub attended the 7th annual Deshpande Symposium for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in higher education on June 11-13, 2018. The WVU IDEA Hub was a finalist in two prestigious award categories at the symposium.
“The Entrepreneurial University” award honors an institution that demonstrates overall excellence in innovation and entrepreneurship. The nomination serves as a testament to the IDEA Hub’s commitment to elevating WVU’S entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators who are applying entrepreneurship and innovation to solve problems and embrace change across the university.
In addition, the Symposium’s “Excellence in Curriculum Innovation in Entrepreneurship” award recognizes an institution offering innovative educational courses and programs that foster entrepreneurship education. The WVU IDEA Faculty Fellows, who are embedded in the IDEA Hub, were nominated for their work in shaping curriculum that encourages creativity and innovative thinking in and outside the classroom.
In addition to receiving these two award nominations, IDEA Hub faculty and staff delivered presentations at the Symposium on the importance of embracing a robust culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and design University-wide:
- Mindy Walls, AVP Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Carrie White, Director of LaunchLab Morgantown
- Nora Myers, Director of LaunchLab WVU Tech
- Richard Giersch, Director of Health Sciences Innovation Center
The IDEA Hub was established in 2016 and is a university-wide network of centers, offices and programs that fosters and supports innovation and entrepreneurship among WVU students, faculty and staff, while engaging the statewide community. By showcasing the vast network of resources and opportunities across the University, the IDEA Hub aims to elevate an integrated web of growth, prosperity, and creativity across all disciplines, units and colleges.
The Deshpande Foundation has encouraged the use of entrepreneurship and innovation as catalysts for sustainable change since 1996 and began the Deshpande Symposium on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2012. The symposium brings together academics, policy planners and practitioners to discuss best practices in integrating entrepreneurship throughout college and university communities.