Creativity Shines at MiddChallenge

What do cheese, 3D visualization goggles, epi-pens, cowgirls and undocumented college students have in common? Not much more than the shared evidence of the creativity students will be pursuing this summer, with the help of grants awarded by MiddChallenge. On April 4 and 6, nine finalists presented their project ideas to a panel of judges, made up of many college alumni and Vermont professionals, in the categories of Business, Arts and Outreach.

After two days of thoughtful presentations, five projects were selected to receive a $3,000 grant, the support of an advisor network and space at the Old Stone Mill. MiddChallenge is one of several programs under the umbrella of the Middlebury’s Project on Creativity and Innovation (PCI), which seeks to encourage students’ independent and inventive projects on campus.

The presenters surprised all with their preparation, foresight and diversity of interests. Joanie Thompson ’14, a member of the student MiddChallenge Committee, appreciated the outcome of months of planning.

“My favorite thing is always seeing how different the projects are,” Thompson said. “It’s the variety that I love, and it shows a wonderful side to people, when they present on something they are incredibly invested in.”

In the business category, Nate Beatty ’13.5 received a grant for his start-up, Iris VR, Inc. The company will develop software, to be paired with emerging stereoscopic 3D head mounted displays – “like ski goggles, with two eyes and a screen on the inside,” to help architects virtually imagine the realities of their spaces, before construction. Beatty will use his grant to hire a student intern — still accepting applications — to assist in the development process this summer.

“It’s all about virtual reality now,” he said. “It’s exciting, because I think if we started the project right now, we would be too late. We hit the timing, hopefully, just right. We’re riding the wave of this virtual reality buzz.”

Other winners in the business category include Linda Waller ’15.5, designing a wearable Epi-Pen, and Linnea Burnham ’14.5, making cheese and sharing the value of sustainable farming at Robinson Hill Farm.

In the arts category, “Cowgirls: A Documentary” won a grant to explore, through film, the identity of cowgirls in the cowboy-dominated culture of the American West.  Anna Carroll ’14.5 and Ben Kramer ’13.5 will direct the project, with collaboration by Sarah Briggs ’14.5, Katie McFarren ’14, Tommy Hyde ’14.5, Tito Heiderer ’14.5 and Maddy Lawler ’14. The cinematographers will follow cowgirls, Claudia Ogilvie and Patty Hayes, on a 100-mile horseback ride through South Dakota.

Their documentary promises to be insightful portrayal of the friendship between two women, who have followed similar paths in breeding and training horses, and who will reunite on camera, after five years apart.

Finally, in the outreach category, Daniel Ramirez ’17 received a grant for his project, Documented Dreams, to build a social network where undocumented high school students can receive mentoring and advice from undocumented college students.  Ramirez believes that undocumented college students are outliers, able to pursue their education only because of unusual relationships — like that which his brother gave to him and which he has given to his mentee, recently accepted to the College’s class of 2018.

MiddChallenge provides students valuable practice in developing an idea, checking its viability and planning for its implementation. Charlie MacCormack, Executive in Residence and former CEO of Save the Children, applauded the participants for their apparent dedication.

“I’ve come to have high expectations for the quality and importance and practicality of the ideas,” MacCormack said. “But this year did exceed my expectations, because all presentations were genuinely outstanding, and really could have been made by very experienced people, with professional degrees.”

The presenters similarly appreciated value of the judges’ feedback, in shaping how they will progress with their projects. With summer just around the corner, MiddChallenge provided a springboard from which the grant recipients can jump into their projects with enthusiasm and financial and mental support.

“I am extremely honored to be the recipient of a MiddChallenge grant and I want to thank the PCI, student organizers, and the funders for pulling together a great event,” Burnham said. “I look forward to this summer because, thanks to MiddChallenge, I will be able to turn my business plan into a reality.”