OSU Creativity Festival Contest and Booth Showcase winners announced
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Oklahoma State University Institute for Creativity and Innovation awarded a total of $1,650 to four individual winners during the 3rd annual creativity contest held this month on lawn of the Edmon Low Library on the campus of OSU.
Students, faculty, and staff were invited to answer the question: “What world record would you break to make the greatest social impact?” The festival’s theme was “OSU as Creative Local and Global Problem Solver.” Students involved with the festival built the Guinness Record breaking World’s Largest Twister board as a way to creatively engage the campus, as well as, raise money for disaster relief.
“We were really pleased with the level of campus engagement with the question,” said Dr. Melanie C. Page, ICI Director. “OSU has a lot of really bright, talented people who want to make a difference in their communities”.
Sandeep Katta, a graduate student from Computer Science, won first place and $700 for his entry making OSU a national leader and record holder in saving energy to save the environment; Dakota Koenig, an undergraduate business administration student at OSU-Tulsa, won second place and $500 for his entry on having the most cars using alternate fuels; Jennifer “JJ” Smith, a staff member at OSU-Tulsa, won third place and $300 for her entry for breaking the record for largest number of blood donor’s (to be done at the bombing memorial); and honorable mention went to Emily Whitson, an undergraduate student, who is part of Eben group for most pounds of school supplies donated in a 24-hour period, she won $150.
The Creativity Festival featured nearly 50 booths and a people’s choice contest for best booth to raise money for Feed the Children. Booth winners were: first place and $500 to EbenGroup, a student organization proposing to use social entrepreneurship to sell backpacks; for every backpack sold one full of school supplies will be given to a child in need; they also would use part of the profits to build schools in developing countries. Second place and $300 to Dr. Julie Croff, faculty member in the School of Applied Health and Educational Psychology, for her booth on her research that uses technology (iPads & breathalyzers) to study drinking at bars and parties. Third place and $200 to E Club, a student organization focused on helping students use entrepreneurship to make a difference in their own lives and in their communities.
“The creativity of the OSU community in coming up with ways to solve problems and enhance lives is truly amazing. We are happy to provide a showcase for all the hard work people do every day,” said Page.