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*'''DifferenceMaker™ Central'''
**DifferenceMaker™ Central was opened in May 2013. This space is a dedicated entrepreneurial area with a vibrant start-up community atmosphere. The space was made for all entrepreneurial teams to come together to work, brainstorm, and network. Student teams have access to flexible workstations, televisions, computers, mentors, and a dynamic meeting space to develop their ideas and collaborate amongst their teammates and fellow students.
*In preparation for the annual DifferenceMaker™ IdeaChallenge, we offer our students a series of educational entrepreneurial workshops throughout the spring semester.
· *72 DifferenceMaker™ events held in inaugural year*3,500 students who participates in a DifferenceMaker™ event this past year*$25,000 of funds awarded to 10 IdeaChallenge finalist teams*1,265 freshman participating in summer rapid ideation workshops*112 students who participated in the First Annual IdeaChallenge*22 cross discipline relationships notes between students among IdeaChallenge teams*24 academic disciplines represented by students in the IdeaChallenge teams
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UMass Lowell has been evolving in every aspect; upgraded classrooms, libraries and labs; new and renovated student living and activity spaces; and enhanced parking facilities are a few on the list of what has been updated and changed over the past decade of campus improvement.
*University Crossing: **Officially completed and operating, this new building hosts student services and activities, bookstore, dining, University police, transportation services, and senior administration offices.*Pulichino Tong Building: **The University’s current construction project, the Tong Building will replace the now-relocated Honor’s Eames Dorm building on UMass Lowell’s North Campus and will house the entirety of the Robert J. Manning School of Business.*University Suites: **This brand new dorm on UMass Lowell’s East campus provides housing for 472 students in four- and six-bed suites. There is a ground-floor common area with a café - Hawk's Nest - featuring fresh bakery, grab & go items and a late night Asian menu, in addition to delicious Red Mango frozen yogurt & smoothies and "We proudly serve" Starbucks Coffee. A multi-purpose room is open to the UMass Lowell community. Each residential floor has two common kitchen/lounge areas, two quiet study rooms and a group study room.*Riverview Suites: **The other half of the two-dorm addition to UMass Lowell in 2013, Riverview Suites has either two or three bedroom suites complete with a live-in kitchen, classroom and meeting rooms inside the building, and a gym inside the facility. The University leases the property from Soho Development, who also built the $42 million facility.*New Garages: **In the past three years, UMass Lowell has added two large parking garages to each of its largest parking lots, greatly increasing the parking capacity for the strong commuter presence attending the school.*Health and Social Sciences Building: **In 2013, this new criminal justice and criminology, nursing and psychology building had its grand opening. The construction of this building marked the first new construction in 30 years on the University’s South Campus, including all campuses in the University’s recent wave of evolution.
Since 2009, the University has also been heavily updating the existing buildings while acquiring and renovating new ones. UMass Lowell renovated the newly acquired Inn and Conference Center, added Taco Bell and Subway to the University’s dining partners, renovated the newly acquired Tsongas Center, and heavily updated their Dining Hall in the tallest UMass Lowell building, Fox Hall
=== DifferenceMaker™ Available Activities ===
*'''DifferenceMaker™ Enterprise Co-op'''
**Throughout each year, DifferenceMaker™ will hire several students from various majors to participate in paid co-op experiences. Student co-ops assist in conducting and summarizing entrepreneurial research, developing and distributing marketing materials for various center initiatives, and provide center support for faculty and innovation fellows affiliate with the center.
*'''Freshman Make A Difference Orientation'''
**During the summer sessions, DifferenceMaker™ has a large presence in the Freshman Orientation days. Through the Office of Orientation, Student Activities and Leadership, and ResLife, DifferenceMaker™ was able to present to every attending freshman and gain exposure to all of the new students at UMass Lowell.
*'''Freshman DifferenceMaker™ Convocation'''
**At the beginning of each academic year, we present DifferenceMaker™ to every incoming freshman at Convocation. Each year we perform a fun activity to engage students in our program.
*'''Introduction to DifferenceMaker™'''
**In November of 2013, DifferenceMaker™ along with DCU hosted an Innovation Contest focusing on banking and financial innovation in the industry. With a grand prize of $500 per team member and peripheral prizes of $100 per team member, the contest gave thousands to innovative teams and cutting edge ideas.
*'''DifferenceMaker™ Reverse Pitch'''
**This pitch event was debuted on November 19, 2013. This event was a spin-off of “normal” idea challenges and hackathons. Instead of students pitching their ideas to funding sources or judges, businesses and community partners actually pitched their existing problems to a student audience in the hopes that they can develop a solution. The pitches included Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership, Lowell Telecommunications Corporation, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell, Catie’s Closet and the Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center. Students will be able to solve these problems and present them at the Annual Idea Challenge for funding opportunities.*'''Freshman Business Class Lego Problem Solving'''**This Lego activity was a collaboration effort between the DifferenceMaker™ Program and the Manning School of Business to introduce students to the ideation development process and problem solving method, as well as helping them strengthen their ability to work in a team. Sessions were conducted in 9 classes with over 400 students participating. Prof. Deborah Finch of the Manning School of Business led this effort.
*'''DifferenceMaker™ Idea Challenge'''
**''''''DifferenceMaker™ is hosting its second fourth annual Idea Challenge; this challenge is for student entrepreneurial teams to come up with sustainable ideas that will make some sort of impact on the world or their community. Help in the form of various workshops in the months leading up to the Idea Challenge is available, teaching students how to properly pitch their ideas and how to flesh out their business plans. There are various subcategories for each team to have a chance at winning spread out across over many different disciplines, encouraging all students to participate and welcoming all ideas.
*'''DifferenceMaker™ Workshops'''
**Team Building Mixer
**Identifying Problems and Opportunities
**Identifying Resources
**Rocket Pitch Coaching
*'''Campus Catalyst Program''' - **''''''The DifferenceMaker™ Program works closely with 'E For All', a community business accelerator funded by the Deshpande Foundation, in order to encourage students to generate and develop their entrepreneurial ideas. The Sandbox Campus Catalyst program provided seed funding for student social and business solutions with potential. Catalyst information was provided to students at all DifferenceMaker™ events. Students also received consultation when applying to the Campus Catalyst Program. The DifferenceMaker™ application and Campus Catalyst application were similar in content so that unity between these programs would be maximized. *'''DifferenceMaker™ Program Promotion '''- In order to promote awareness of, and participation in, DifferenceMaker™ activities among faculty, staff, and students, a variety of outreach materials were developed and distributed across the University. These activities included program launch events, a DifferenceMaker™ website, a Facebook site, a Twitter feed (UML_Difference), various posters, postcards, presentations to classrooms, workshops, office hours, email blasts, and information tables.*'''TeamMaker Platform''' - Allows students to build their project teams by posting their project ideas and information online where they can then search for “seekers” (students interested in becoming part of a team). On the other hand, “seekers” can utilize the TeamMaker Platform by posting their project interests and skills, and seeking projects/teams to work with. This platform facilitates team formation.
=== '''DifferenceMaker™ Program Available Resources''' ===
*DifferenceMaker™ Central **Large open office collaboration space equipped with Wi-Fi, 3 Mac computers, printer/copier, 2 46” LCD TV monitors with projection capabilities, 6 white boards, 10 tables with chairs all equipped with wheels that can be easily rearranged for optimal use and collaboration, refrigerator, sink, cabinet space, coffee maker and other necessary office supplies. Funding Opportunities Idea Challenge Other competitions: DCU Innovation Contest FAHSS Creative Venture Competition *Hawk Hatch **Philanthropic Crowd Funding Source *Grants *Networking Connection to faculty, staff, and alumni **Mentors **Faculty Fellows and DifferenceMaker™ Staff *Events **Series of Educational Entrepreneurial Workshops including materials **Problem, Opportunity, Solution, Resources, Pitch Coaching **Team Building Assistance **TeamMaker Platform, Team Building Mixer Enterprise co-op positions
Through the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, along with affiliated faculty and other campus programs, the University has introduced a range of activities that help students make a difference in the world.
=== '''DifferenceMaker™ Inaugural Year Statistics''' · 72 DifferenceMaker™ events held in inaugural year · 3,500 students who participates in a DifferenceMaker™ event this past year · $25,000 of funds awarded to 10 IdeaChallenge finalist teams · 1,265 freshman participating in summer rapid ideation workshops · 112 students who participated in the First Annual IdeaChallenge · 22 cross discipline relationships notes between students among IdeaChallenge teams===
=== '''2015 DifferenceMaker™ IdeaChallenge Idea Challenge Finalists'''===
'''Campus-Wide DifferenceMaker™'''
