So I’ve probably mentioned that I have an “Idea Shelf” in my office. This is a whiteboard where I collect all kinds of random ideas as they might relate to this community college, ranging from outdoor preschools to a trades academy for historic renovation to a “Made in Roanoke” fair. I love ideas. I *live* for cool ideas. But ideas aren’t the only important ingredients when it comes to innovation. Earlier in June, I had the privilege of attending a Data-Driven Innovation Boot Camp at RAMP, the new business accelerator in downtown Roanoke (which features a nifty mural designed by our own Joe Collins). There was a lot to cover in two days’ worth of presentations by Mike Abbott and Lisa Garcia, who both teach NSF Innovation Corps programming to Virginia Tech students (among other impressive international gigs). They were in Roanoke to help coach the latest batch of RAMP entrepreneurs, a cohort of eight companies specializing in STEM-H fields. So the focus of the training was on these startup companies and explaining a lot of business jargon (minimum viable product?), but my biggest takeaway — especially as it relates to my grant work at Virginia Western — was: Focus… Continue Reading The most important lesson from Innovation Boot CampRead More
I love practical tips … and I love lists, especially short ones. I couldn’t resist sharing this story from the Chronicle of Higher Education, which I’m constantly reading for grant ideas: The 5 Tips for Student Success That a Longtime Instructor Swears By Tony Holland The tips are from Tony Holland of the Alabama Community College System, a former dean of instruction who taught chemistry for almost 30 years. During the annual meeting of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) in Dallas, Holland said his I-CAN approach (improvement, constant and never ending) increased associate degree completions by 67% and retention rates by 27%, with the greatest improvements shown by minority students. Here’s the quick list, as they appeared in the Chronicle story: 1. Pass out course evaluations early in the semester2. Set clear learning objectives for each unit3. Create 10-minute videos for each objective4. Give frequent quizzes, essays and group work5. Provide early, intrusive interventions What would you add to the list? I’d love to compile some tips from our own faculty. Even if you have just one excellent tip, please do share. Who knows … it might inspire your colleagues …. or an entire grant project. Email sseagle@virginiawestern.edu.Read More
If it seems like I’m a little obsessed with the buzzword “collaboration,” it’s because a bunch of grant funders are, too. Let me give you two recent examples: 1. GO Virginia You may have heard about the GO Virginia program, which has funded some economic development projects in the Roanoke region, including the RAMP business accelerator where Virginia Western offers entrepreneurial programming. I attended a “how-to-apply” GO Virginia workshop in Richmond earlier this month, and my biggest takeaway was that the program is designed to encourage collaboration — “incentivized collaboration” is the term used in its mission statement. The state is carved into 9 regions (pictured above), and each region has produced its own Growth and Development Plan, which identifies specific industry clusters. We are in Region 2, which includes the New River Valley and Lynchburg. Priority clusters for Region 2 are (1) manufacturing, (2) life sciences & healthcare, (3) food & beverage processing, and (4) emerging technologies & IT. Not only are proposals for funding expected to be collaborative within our region (working with at least two localities, or another community college, for example), but GO Virginia is now promoting a separate “competitive” grant program that requires collaboration between… Continue Reading Why we must collaborate, inside and outRead More
About Shelley
Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to VWCC, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.
Recent Posts
- Innovation, and the LOI. August 25, 2025
- Some 24/25 Highlights July 16, 2025
- Have you heard? October 28, 2024
- The Game of Life – Innovation Edition! August 29, 2024
- Why Try An LOI? May 10, 2024