Big Bold Challenge
Big Bold Challenge (2024–2025)
Congratulations to This Year’s Big Bold Challenge Winners!
We’re excited to announce the winning idea for the 2024–2025 Big Bold Challenge:
Community Athletic Hub Development by Monika Rohde and Alexander Rothstein
This project aims to transform existing athletic facilities into a year-round community hub, bringing together students, faculty, staff, and local residents through sports, wellness programs, and campus events.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a Big Bold Idea and to all who voted!
A new round of the Big Bold Challenge is coming this fall, so check back for updates. We can’t wait to see what big bold ideas you come up with next.
You can also watch the semifinalist projects from this year below:
Watch SemifinalistsAbout
The Big Bold Challenge is an annual competition that solicits ideas to help students succeed, support faculty and staff, strengthen our ties to the community, and streamline inefficient processes. We encouraged submissions that reflected the priority areas and themes outlined in New York Tech Innovation in Action, the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Survey, and the goals of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging.
The Big Bold Challenge was modeled after successful initiatives at institutions like Fresno State and Atlassian, the Big Bold Challenge supports innovation and collaboration across our community.
Big Bold Challenge (2023–2024)
During the Fall 2023 semester, we launched the Big Bold Challenge, issuing a call to all faculty and staff to share ideas that would help students succeed, support faculty and staff, strengthen our ties to the community, or streamline inefficient processes, all with the goal of supporting innovation and collaboration across our community.
After receiving 39 submissions, we narrowed the field to seven semi-finalists and asked the community to vote.
2023-2024 SemifinalistHere are the winners of the first-ever Big Bold Challenge at New York Tech:
- Refillable Water Stations by Melissa Huey: Deploy refillable water stations to ensure access to clean and filtered water on campus.
- Math Success Program by Monika Rohde, Ranja Roy, Tadiyos Gebre, and Nicole Sheehan: Create a coordinated math success program geared towards undergraduate students who require a strong math foundation for progression and success in their chosen majors.
- Innovation/Professionalism Fund by Amy Bravo, Denniesia Cameron, Tiffani Hinds, Rachel Morrison, and Joanne West: Develop an innovation/professionalism fund to provide students with seed money for innovative/entrepreneurial projects or funding to join professional associations, attend and present at conferences, get research published, participate in service trips, etc.
The winners created detailed business plans, and we are currently working on bringing their ideas to life!
If you have any questions, please email us at bigboldchallenge@nyit.edu.