What is the Challenge?
The Innovate Wellness Challenge is a case competition that encourages students from diverse backgrounds, majors, and interests to come together to solve some of the most pertinent health and wellness issues on campus through the Design Thinking Process.
Who Can Participate?
Undergraduate Storrs-Main Campus UConn students can join the challenge by registering as a team of 3 or by registering as an individual who will be placed on a team with two other students. Students who do not wish to compete can support the challenge by attending the poster session and voting on student ideas.
How Does The Challenge Work?
With support from staff and faculty, teams will create, prototype, and pitch their unique ideas to address a specific student health issue.
When Does The Challenge Occur?
The next Innovate Wellness Challenge will take place in the Fall 2024 semester.
Why Should I Compete?
Students are the experts of their experiences and are in the best position to create and develop the interventions that will work best to support the health and wellbeing of UConn students. Each team will have the opportunity to build their skills, resumé, work with students, staff, and faculty, and have the chance to implement solutions.
Is there a prize?
Yes! The winning team will receive scholarships money along with a chance to secure funding to pilot their idea!
Innovate Wellness Challenge FAQ
What is the Innovate Wellness Challenge?
Student Health and Wellness, in partnership with the UConn Wellness Coalition and OPIM Innovate, brings together students, staff, and faculty from across campus to work towards one vision: UConn as a thriving, connected campus community that supports the full potential of every student. The Innovate Wellness Challenge is a case competition that encourages students from diverse backgrounds, majors, and interests to come together to solve some of the most pertinent health and wellness issues on campus through the Design Thinking Process.
What is the Design Thinking Process?
Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to solving challenges. One of the most common methodologies to design thinking is the 5-phase model. Empathize. Define. Ideate. Prototype. Test. This model will be used to facilitate idea development throughout the Innovate Wellness Challenge.
Who Can Participate:
Undergraduate Storrs-Main Campus UConn students can join the challenge by registering as a team of 3 or by registering as an individual who will be placed on a team with two other students. Students who do not wish to compete can support the challenge by attending the poster session and voting on student ideas. All students are welcome to participate in the Innovate Wellness Challenge Workshops.
When Does the Challenge Occur?
The Innovate Wellness Challenge takes place once per academic year. Please see the detailed schedule of events outlined below for more information and specific dates.
How Does the Challenge Work:
With support from staff and faculty, teams will create, prototype, and pitch their unique ideas to address a specific student health issue. There are two competition rounds, workshops, and mentoring sessions.
What Happens in the Competition Rounds?
Round 1 is a poster presentation. Teams will create a poster using a template provided. These posters will be displayed and presented. Each team will also present a 5-minute pitch of their idea to a panel of student judges. Students and judges will vote on each pitch, and the top teams will move on to the finals. The top teams will select which idea from the poster presentations that they want to focus on and then work with staff and faculty to create a prototype. The teams will work with staff and faculty to create a plan for testing their prototype. Depending on feasibility and quality of idea, the top team or more than one team may have the opportunity to work with staff to implement their idea.
What Will be Covered in the Workshops and Mentoring Sessions?
There are a series of workshops that are open to all students who are interested in learning more about various components of innovation from budgeting to presentation skills. Innovate Wellness Challenge Teams should attend these workshops. After the workshop, Innovate Wellness Challenge Teams will work with faculty, staff, and peers on developing and refining their ideas.
What is the Targeted Health Issue?
This year’s Innovate Wellness Challenge asks students to think and develop how we can come together and holistically address the following question: How can UConn improve the health of both students and the environment in the midst of the climate crisis?
Why Should I Compete?
Students are the experts of their experiences and are in the best position to create and develop the interventions that will work best to support the health and wellbeing for themselves and their peers. Each team will have the opportunity to build their skills, resumé, work with students, staff, and faculty, and have the chance to implement solutions.
Is there a Prize?
Yes! The winning team will receive $1500 in scholarships along with a chance to secure funding to pilot your idea!
What are Examples of Previous Innovate Wellness Challenge Winners?
Previous winners include: The Holistic Huskies podcast & Wellness Points.
Innovate Wellness Challenge Fall 2024 Schedule of Events
The next Innovate Wellness Challenge will take place in the Fall 2024 semester during the five weeks leading up to UConn's Thanksgiving break. Specifically, participants should be available on Wednesdays, Oct. 23 & 30, Nov. 6, 13 & 20, from 5-7pm.
REGISTRATION
What: All Innovate Wellness Challenge Team participants are registered and confirmed.
When: By Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Where: Register Here
KICK-OFF EVENT & WORKSHOP #1
What: During the Innovate Wellness Kick-Off Event & Workshop #1, we will review information regarding Innovate Wellness Challenge. Students will then work with their team and be paired with staff from Student Health and Wellness to help with idea generation and mentoring. Food will be provided.
When: Wednesday, October 23, from 5-7 pm
Where: Student Union room 310
WORKSHOP #2
What: During the Innovate Wellness Challenge Workshop #2, student teams will work to refine their ideas with new mentors from across the university. Food will be provided.
When: Wednesday, October 30, 2024, from 5-7 pm
Where: Student Union room 304A
WORKSHOP #3
What: The Innovate Wellness Challenge Workshop #3 is the final workshop and is designed to prepare the finalists for their poster presentations and final pitches. Food will be provided.
When: Wednesday, November 6, 2024, from 5-7 pm
Where: Student Union room 324
POSTER PRESENTATION
What: Each team will present their ideas to audience members throughout the event. Feedback will be provided and the top three teams will continue on to Finals. Food will be provided.
When: Wednesday, November 13, 2024, from 5-7 pm
Where: Student Union room 318
CHALLENGE FINALS!
What: The Innovate Wellness Challenge Finals will be the event in which the top three student teams present their final pitch to a panel of judges, who will select the first, second and third place winners for that year's Challenge. Food will be provided.
When: Wednesday, November 20, 2024, from 5-7 pm
Where: Student Union room 310
Innovate Wellness is a space for students to come together to and, through the design thinking process, develop innovative solutions for health and wellness concerns they see on campus. Students are able to join this process in 3 different ways, submit an idea, join or create teams to work on ideas, or provide feedback for on-going projects. Students are provided mentorship by UConn faculty and staff to develop their skills, build out their ideas, and prototype their innovations on campus during the process.
Design Thinking Process
Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to solving challenges. One of the most common methodologies to design thinking is the 5 phase model. Empathize. Define. Ideate. Prototype. Test. This model will be used to facilitate idea development throughout the Innovate Wellness Challenge. More information to come at the Challenge Kick-Off.
Empathize
Gain an understanding of the problem.
Define
Analyze to determine the problem.
Ideate
Challenge assumptions and create ideas.
Prototype
Start to create and develop solutions.
Test
Try and evaluate your solutions.
View the Spring 2024 Winners:
1st Place Winners
The Green Garden
2nd Place Winners
Tackling Eco-Anxiety Through Positivity
3rd Place Winners
Husky Cycle Share Competition
Honorable Mention:
ConnectUS: Nurturing Minds, Nature, and Community
1st Place Winners
2nd Place Winners
Dining Paw Passport
3rd Place Winners
Student Medical Fund Initiative (SMFI)
Click on the links below to learn more about each team's Poster Presentation!
Fall 2022 Topic: How can UConn improve existing services and resources on campus to take the burden of resource and support navigation off the student?
Team A: Huski-Navigating UConn Through AI
Team C: UConn Intern Network (UIN)
Team D: Personalized Resource Map
Innovate Wellness Challenge Spring 2024 Topic
This year’s Innovate Wellness Challenge asks students to think and develop how we can come together and holistically address the following question:
How can UConn improve the health of both students and the environment in the midst of the climate crisis?
Innovate Wellness Challenge Fall 2022 Schedule of Events
REGISTRATION
What: All Innovate Wellness Challenge Team participants are registered and confirmed.
When: By Tuesday, October 18th, 2022.
Where: Register Here
KICK-OFF EVENT & WORKSHOP #1
What: During the Innovate Wellness Kick-Off Event & Workshop #1, we will review information regarding Innovate Wellness Challenge. Students will then work with their team and be paired with staff from Student Health and Wellness to help with idea generation and mentoring. Food will be provided.
When: Wednesday, October 19, from 5:00-7:00 pm.
Where: Wilson Hall 126
WORKSHOP #2
What: During the Innovate Wellness Challenge Workshop #2, student teams will work to refine their ideas with new mentors who are both faculty and staff from across the university. Food will be provided.
When: Thursday, October 27, 2022, from 5:00-7:00 pm
Where: Wilson Hall 126
POSTER PRESENTATION
What: Each team will present their ideas to audience members throughout the event. People will vote on their favorite ideas either in person or virtually (here) and the top three teams will continue on to Finals.
When: Thursday, November 3, 2022, from 5:00-7:00 pm
Where: Wilson Hall 126, 112, & 113
WORKSHOP #3
What: The Innovate Wellness Challenge Workshop #3 is the final workshop and is designed to prepare the finalists for their formal presentation pitch. Food will be provided.
When: Thursday, November 10, 2022, from 5:00-7:00 pm
Where: Wilson Hall 126
CHALLENGE FINALS!
What: Innovate Wellness Challenge Finals
When: The week of November 14, 2022. Teams will be scheduled for their presentations.
Where: Wilson Hall 126
Innovate Wellness Challenge Fall 2022 Topic
This year’s Innovate Wellness Challenge asks students to think and develop how we can come together and holistically address the following question:
How can UConn improve existing services and resources on campus to take the burden of resource and support navigation off the student?
Meet the Innovate Wellness Team
Suzanne Onorato, Ph.D., Executive Director of Student Health and Wellness
Karen McComb, M.S., Director of Health Promotion & Community Impact
Jonathan Moore, MBA, Academic Director of Management Information Systems
Kenna Grant, M.S., Health Promotion Manager
Paula Kalksma McDowell, M.S., Health Promotion Project Coordinator
Thomas Isleib, Innovate Wellness Intern
Amanda Kilyk, Innovate Wellness Intern
Richmond Le, Innovate Wellness Intern
Lauren Solla, Innovate Wellness Intern
Spring 2024 Innovate Wellness Challenge Topic:
"How can UConn improve the health of both students and the environment in the midst of the climate crisis?"
Spring 2024 Challenge Topic:
How can UConn improve the health of both students and the environment in the midst of the climate crisis?