Innovations of the Year

League for Innovation logo

Every year the League for Innovation honors outstanding innovations that have been recognized by member institutions as Innovations of the Year. These innovations represent capstone achievements and the continuing renewal of the spirit of innovation and experimentation upon which the League was founded.

The criteria used to select the Innovation of the Year are:

  1. Effectiveness - Explain the development and/or reasons for creating the innovation and how the innovation effectively attained its goals or outcomes.  
  2. Efficiency – Describe how the innovation contributes to a more efficient way of doing things.  
  3. Affordability – Demonstrate that the innovation contains or reduces costs and/or generates funds for the institution.
  4. Replicability –Explain how the innovation has been or could be replicated at Lane and/or at other institutions with a minimum of difficulty.
  5. Creativity – Discuss how the innovation is creative. Explain if the innovation is an original creation (primarily new ideas) or a unique adaptation (using known elements in new ways).

Lane's Innovation of the Year Award is selected every Winter Term by a committee that consists of a volunteer pool of previous award recipients, LCC Foundation staff and Board members and Lane's League Representative. In the event that none of the nominations are deemed to be of a caliber of nationwide recognition, no award will be made for that academic year. 

Nominations for this year's Lane Innovation of the Year Awards are due by March 4, 2024 at 5PM. Everyone is encouraged to participate. Review the Selection Criteria and Submission Instructions below. Let others know by sharing this page in your department and with your colleagues.

How to Submit a Nomination

Nominations must be submitted electronically as one document by March 4, 2024 at 5 PM to Shelley Tinkham, tinkhams@lanecc.edu, League for Innovation Interim Representative, with a copy to Megan Miller at millerm@lanecc.edu. The first page is the cover sheet, pages 2—4 are nomination text, supporting materials are the last pages after the nomination text. See below for full explanations of each section of the document. 

The nomination cover sheet must have: 

  1. The heading “Schafer & League for Innovation, Innovation Nomination 2024”, 
  2. a title for the nomination followed by, 
  3. the name of the person preparing the nomination, 
  4. a list of the name, job title and department of all staff who are part of the innovation (list may include the name of the person writing the nomination document), 
  5. a one-paragraph executive summary of not more than one hundred words. An executive summary is a brief, clear, description of the nomination. You may include outcomes/benefits to students and/or the college in the summary however, the majority of the text should describe the  innovation with sufficient detail that anyone reading it will understand your innovation. 

The nomination document (not including the cover  sheet or supporting material) may be up to three pages using 11-point type or larger, with  not more than .75-inch margins. The nomination should begin with:  

  1. Title of the Innovation  
  2. A several-paragraph overview description of the innovation with specific details  about the project, process, procedure, creation, or activity and outcomes/benefits to  students and or the college.  
  3. A separate paragraph for each of the five innovation selection criteria. Provide specific evidence related to each selection criteria that illustrates the excellence and  quality of the nominated innovation. If a criterion is not within the scope of the  nominated innovation, explain why. It is not necessary for an innovation to meet all five selection criteria. 

Include relevant supporting materials such as letters of  support, student evaluations and/or ratings, financial data, or pre-post comparisons. Multimedia or other media may also be submitted in hard copy. Provide an explanation if the supporting material is not self-evident. No more than five pages of supporting material will be accepted and considered in the selection process. 

For assistance preparing your nomination or if you have questions, please contact Megan Miller, millerm@lanecc.edu. We want you to have a strong, competitive nomination!  

How Innovations are Selections 

Lane’s Schafer and Innovation of the Year Award Selection Committee is composed of a  volunteer pool of previous award recipients, members of Lane’s Foundation Board,  Foundation Director (or designee) and Lane’s League Representative. This committee will  review nominations and select the award winners. If none of the nominations are deemed  to be of a caliber for the Innovation of the Year, no award will be made.

Lane Innovation of the Year Winners

  • Got Milk? Development and implementation of a lactase research project to support course and institutional learning outcomes in introductory biology. Submitted by Jeneva Anderson with the team of Christine Andrews, Adam Gabay, Susan Holmes, Rosie Kirwin, and Stacey Kiser. 
  • Community Advocacy and Resource Education (CARE), submitted by Jennifer DeRoss and Rebecca Ramos, with a team of Marcia Koenig, Tricia Singleton, Mike Walker, Tonya Mildon, Laurie Kinder, Chelsey Andersen, Anne Starke, Stephanie Russell, Sheila Marsh, Calysta Dawson, and Jeff Madden. 
  • Jumpstart to Success for Nontraditional Adult Learners, submitted by Minoo Marashi with a team of Alexis Kielb, Aliscia Niles, Anna Gates-Tapia, Judith Kelly, Julie Nellis, Julie Pfaff, Marcia Koenig, Rebecca Long, Rebecca Menke, Rebecca Ramos, Scott Bell, and Zara Pastos. 
  • Slack: A Dynamic Communications Platform for Student Support and Fostering Community with Lane Employees, submitted by Ian Coronado with the Academic Technology, Library, and Academic and Tutoring Services Teams. 
  • Adding Services to LCC Public Safety, submitted by Adrienne Park and Lisa Rupp. 
  • Electude Cloud-based Automotive E-learning, submitted by Kelley Mathers. 
  • LCC Surplus Property Program Restructuring, submitted by Luis Maggiori and Mahdi Rikhtehgar. 
  • Restructuring of Green Revolving Fund, submitted by Luis Maggiori and Jennifer Hayward. 
  • Pilas Family Literacy:Access and Equity to Learning for Guatemalans in Cottage Grove. Submitted by the team of Indira Bakshi, Aliscia Niles, Shelby Allread, Leilani Perez, Kate Hachimoto, Shannon Ball, John Groves, Jaqui Whisler, Jen Sacklin, Maggie Mitteis, and Anna Gates-Tapia.
  • Library Research Toolkit. Submitted by Claire Dannenbaum with the team Meggie Wright and Laurel Crump.
  • Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) Symposium. Submitted by Aryn Bartley, Rachel Knighten, and Kevin Steeves with the team Shannon Ball, Rory Beck, Patrick Blaine, Shamra Clark, Ian Coronado, Dennis Gilbert, Jill Gillett, Terry Holloway, Meredith Keene, Skye Nguyen, Kendra Rivera, Ce Rosenow, Tammy Salman, Nancy Wood, and Meggie Wright.
  • LCC Dental Program and OHSU School of Dentistry Collaboration. Submitted by Nadine Batya with the team from LCC Sharon Hagan, Michelle Cummins, Corey Miner, and Melanie Davis, and from the community Jill Mason, Director, Community-Based Dental Education, OHSU School of Dentistry Kim Freuen, White Bird Clinic, Dental Clinic Coordinator, and Daniel Fredrickson, Martin Bumstead, Gregor Soriano, Jack Dunham, Dental Preceptors.
  • CFPO Complete Flight Program Overhaul. Submitted by Grant Matthews nominating Josh Rickert.
  • Child and Family Education: New Center at Downtown Campus. Submitted by Cheryl Henderson with the team Rachel Blazevich, Amy Unfred, Mark Richardson, and Vance Wooten.
  • Clarity Framework. Submitted by Robert Killen.
  • The Democracy Conversation Series. Submitted by Aryn Bartley and Claire Dannenbaum with the team Marc Duyck, Lawrence Rasheed, Michael Samano, Lori Tapahonso, and Randy Painter.
  • LCC Nursing Student Faculty Collaborative (SFC). Submitted by Jennifer Tavernier with the team Thomas Blickle, Brad Christopher, Jeremy Kaufman, Colby Postle, Susan Roders, and Darrah Wolfe.
  • Making project-based learning more personal and rewarding for students by giving them ownership of their projects. Submitted by Solomon Singer with the team Sean Parrish and Josh Rickert.
  • Mentoring Strategies from Struggle to Success on the National Physical Therapy Asst. Exam (NPTE). Submitted by Marc Duyck.
  • Titan Download, COVID-19 Response and Resources Employee Newsletter. Submitted by Marsha Sills with the team Joan Aschim, Deborah Butler, Brett Rowlett, Kyle Schmidt, and Shane Turner.
  • Translating Faculty Tutoring Excellence (FTE) into State FTE. Submitted by Christina Howard with the team Kat Burns, Sheila Collins, Marc Duyck, Andrea Leiserowitz, Abbey Reddy, Susan Reynolds, Cathy Thomas, Beth Thorpe, and Brian Wilkinson.
  • Veteran Onboarding Transformation Initiative. Submitted by Samuel Evans with team Alen Bahret, Jennifer Dumble, Philos Molina, and Alicia Ramos.
  • Lane Support Hub: High Impact Lifeline for Students submitted by Casey Reid, Jenn Kepka, Sara Pittman, Karen Louise White with their team from the Career Exploration Center, including Tammy Walters, Librarians, Peer Mentors, Retention Counselors, SHeD Staff including Armando Chavarin, Rory Beck, Toni Timmers, Mat Whiteley, and Student staff, and Academic and Tutoring Services staff including Kim Dawson, Jan Moore, Kristen Albrethsen, Steve Ellerhoff, Katie Hachimoto, Barbara Sklar, Shane Holmes, Liz Wallace, Candy Chen, Jennifer DeRoss, Greg Doty, Katherine Kaylegian, Mike Walker, Carrie Rose, Cullen Andrews, Mike Hellman, Tyler Sirman, Zachary Babyak, Fatima Farje, Jacob Riddle, Marty Weeks, Allie Crawford, Emma Greeven, Norma Scovell, Russell Crooks, Tonya Mildon, NadiraZainulAnuar, Amanda Gomez-Zeller, River Bulgatz, Cristina Nunez-Ochoa, Bailey Taube-Adams, Manon (Nonie) Tabak, Tania Sarabia, James Marsten, Krizia Walker, Sue Long, Dominic Maluski, Isaac Arias, Marlie Scott, Sarah Bennett, Alexander Johnson, Riley Kim, John Redfield, Rocio Parra, Albert Coia, Shawna Staff, Sequoia Anichini, Ivan Castronuno, Skylar Shapiro-Frost, Sara Crompton, Jason Fitzsimmons, Joshua Campbell, Jennifer Meacham, MariAnna Hinojosa, Jennifer Vargo, ZamaladiNambozo, Sierra Maish, Zachary (Link) Talley, Francesca Mancillas, Alex Fieken, Jean Michel Ange N’da, Ivo Decarlis, Yevgeniy Kim, Leila SenaAfonseca Pereira, and Chandra Slonecker
  • Learning FROM and DURING a Pandemic Using a Virtual Telehealth Model: Overcoming COVID-19 Challenges in Physical Therapist Assistant Clinical Education submitted by Beth Ann Thorpe
  • Design and Implementation of Boot Camp General Chemistry Laboratory Instruction in Response to COVID submitted by Gary Mort, Brooke Taylor, and Douglas Young with their team Adam Gabay, Rosanna Kirwin, Magdalena Parker, David Rogow, and Todd Stuhr
  • LCC Dental Clinic Relaunch during COVID in 2020 submitted by Sharon Hagan and Nadine Batya with their team from Health Professions including Cory Miner, Melany Davis, Cynthia Deitz, Leslie Greer, Kym Peterson, Michelle Cummins, Rachel Ellis, Jack Dunham, Scott Baker, Henry Martin Bumstead, Christina James, Chris Stewart, from Facilities Mark Richardson, Vance Wooten, Michael Ganieany, Steve Kale, Heath Pierce, Risk Manager Dawn Barth, John Fritz from IT, and from the community Lane County Dentist Dr. Ellis, and South Eugene HS Robotics Club
  • Bridge to College: Access and Equity for Nontraditional Adult Learners submitted by Aliscia Niles
  • Inclusive Teaching Event Series submitted by Aryn Bartley with her team including Patrick Blaine, Nikki Gavin, Katie Hachimoto, Patti Jackson, Rachel Knighten, Erika Masaki, Laura Pelletier, Kendra Rivera, Michael Samano, Tracy Weimer, Meggie Wright. Also receiving support from Christine Andrews, Jessica Knoch, Doug Young, Meredith Keene, Kevin Steeves, Jessica Alvarado, Wendy Simmons, Jane Reeder and TRiO staff, Katherine Oglesby, Alexis Kielb, Leah Smith, and Lane students Eva Everett, Cameron Santiago, Loki, Brittany Bayer, Missy Brown, Aimee Fisher, Olivia Morris, and SalukaWeeratunga
  • TalkCampus – Student Mental Health Support in the Time of Virtual Learning submitted by Terrie Minner with her team including Michele Barber, Jean Gipple, Keelie Daquilanto, Lexi Slovik, Dee Lynch, and Laura Greene
  • Thomas Blickle, Tanya Brathwaite, Holly Buckem, Bradley Christopher, Tawnya Gillespie, Colby Kilcullen, Elizabeth Novicky, Monica Rosencrance, Paula Tomczak, and Darrah Wolfe for “Innovative Clinical Experiences to Prepare and Retain Nurses in Rural Oregon”.
  • Lori Areford, Josh Baker, Judy Boozer, Jennifer Falzerano, Tia Gomez Zeller, LuAnne Johnson, Tomomi Kurosaki, Christopher Rehn, and Colby Sheldon for “A Truly International Business Degree: Global Degree Completion Lane Community College and Rennes School of Business”.
  • Meredith Keene, Josh Manders, Skye Nguyen, and Kevin Steeves for “Improving Course Accessibility Through Graphic Indicators, Checklists, and Focused Training”.
  • Nicky Coffey, Georgia Harter, Chloe Hendrickson, Andrew Johnson, and Briley Pull for “M.A.D.social: Strengthening the Online Presence of Media Arts”.
  • Linda Ackers, Amy Burbee, Linda Crook, and Egan Riordon for “Library and Automotive Team Up to Reduce Costs and Increase Access to Service Information”.
  • Barbara Barlow Powers, Matt Danskine, Brian Kelly, Cathy Nolan, Bill Schuetz, and Jen Steele for “Project Management Office (PMO)”.
  • Shelby Allread, Shannon Ball, Rachel Kim, and Leilani Perez for “Google to the Rescue! Leveraging G Suite to create powerful, centralized, and up-to-date information and resource hubs for staff and faculty”.
  • Tina Hunter and Gee Thomas for “Welcome Center”.