School:James Madison University
James Madison University
Characterizing our Innovation Ecosystem
Sarah Rozman
Kaitlyn Pirrello
Fletcher Grow
Lauren Distler
Jessie Gabris
Promoting Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Our University is promoting innovation. We are starting and working hard to push not just innovation but also interdisciplinary work within the University. We work to bring students together with classes but there also has to be another way to do this. There has to be a way for students to be pushed and work together but for it to benefit them and for them to want it. This has to be something that students want. Without their will power and passion there will not be innovation working with University work. We are a step in the right direction. We are working to start with smaller groups of students who are passionate and inspired. We need a group of people who can start this wave of innovation through our university. We are working to promote a group of people who are working hard and can then bring more people together. Examples of this start with smaller workshops, we are planning Startup Studio to start this. Then it will bridge to larger groups and then spread farther. We want it to become something they strive to be apart of. We want innovation and entrepreneurship to be something that is an activity that people participate in and are passionate about.
Encouraging Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship
James Madison University faculty is our greatest supporters and most encouraging resource for innovation and entrepreneurship. Not only does the faculty of all disciplines explore their personal entrepreneurship and strive to create more innovation within their discipline, they push each individual student to explore their full potential. Faculty of James Madison University have highly successful businesses and companies that set examples for the way they encourage student to achieve prominent entrepreneurship. Whether students want to start a business, sell products, invent new technology, or design innovative ideas of the future, there is a faculty member who has been in that situation and know the right steps to inspire the student to fulfill his or her goals in creating a pathway towards entrepreneurship. Faculty, in the past, has seen the need for classes and organizations to establish and encourage entrepreneurship to help bring student ideas into a reality. There has been so many examples but as one, in 2005, faculty created a venture creation class to open entrepreneurship to undergraduate students, who had ideas in the past, but were in need for professional backing to ensure their path to a successful startup creation. Faculty not only encourages from a professor standpoint, but also as mentors and advisor. Within every club and entrepreneurial leadership program on campus, a faculty advisor dedicates their professionalism to the club. This dedication keeps an even broader range of resources open needed to continue the pathways students are creating. The faculty has also help bring together students who promote leadership within their disciplines, and given them the encouragement to collaborate. The faculty has played a role in building these leadership programs, and continues to encourage and stay involved, making themselves members of the organization themselves.
Actively Supporting the University Technology Transfer Function
Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration
Collaboration between the students on campus and companies in relevant industries is vital to the sucess of the leadership circle. University and industry collaboration is especially important in engineering, in order to make a connection between students and future employers. Commercialized entities that are able to adapt to the needs of the marketplace are essential within a university, especially in making connections with industry.
There are several resources within James Madison University campus that exemplify "reframed" space on the landscape canvas. These resources may include clubs, organizations, scholarships, groups, or courses within JMU's curriculum. They are divided into 3 sections: Technology/manufacturing, regional sources of capital, and mentoring, business, or advisory networks.
Technology, industrial park, manufacturing and/or wet lab space:
The ICE House:
Located in downtown Harrisonburg on Bruce Street, the ICE house is a new collaborative space for James Madison University students and groups. It is also the official meeting location of the University Innovation Leadership Fellows.
3D Printing Lab:
The JMU engineering department is equipped
Regional sources of capital:
Engaging with Regional and Local Economic Development Efforts
Harrisonburg, Virginia would not be the same without James Madison University in it so we take great pride in our campus, community and giving back. The student body is known for always having a smile, saying hello and opening/holding doors for anyone that comes by so we do our best to keep chivalry alive. Since our campus has so many good-hearted personalities, we have tons of organizations that aid the community. Best Buddies is a community service organization that works with intellectual and developed disabilities by forming one-to-one friendships. Big Brother Big Sisters of James Madison University is a community-based organization for students to help young children be the best they can be. Fast For Food is an organization that increases hunger awareness and promotes hunger relief, locally and globally. Habitat for Humanity helps build affordable housing for those in need by sending volunteers out on weekend to local affiliates nearby. These are just a few of the organizations James Madison offers for students to be apart of the community and more are created every year.
Best Buddies- https://www.bestbuddiesonline.org/
Big Brothers Big Sister- https://beinvolved.jmu.edu/organization/bbbsofjmu
Fast For Food- https://beinvolved.jmu.edu/organization/fastforfood
Habitat For Humanity- https://beinvolved.jmu.edu/organization/habitatforhumanity
More can be found at- https://beinvolved.jmu.edu/organizations?SearchValue=Community%20Service&SearchType=Category&CurrentPage=1&SelectedCategoryId=2588
