Image from Pixabay I’m so excited to launch Virginia Western’s own Innovation Lab. Of course, this will be a virtual lab … a digital makerspace where we ask a lot of questions, experiment, and play. Our first project is an asynchronous workshop series: How to Design a Successful Innovation Grant. What are Innovation Grants? These annual grants are awarded by the Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation. We took a break in 2021 due to COVID, but the Foundation plans to award another round in Spring 2022. The maximum award is $10,000, and projects are expected to be finished in about 10 months (May to March). All members of Virginia Western faculty and classified staff, including adjunct faculty and part-time employees, are eligible to submit proposals. The deadline for applications is always the very end of March. Why I love Innovation Grants An innovation grant project can amplify your strengths and what you love most about your job.They can be a way to solve a problem that you have long complained about.Grants are professional development — not only will they stretch you and your collaborative skills, but they will get you noticed on campus, in the community, and if it’s… Continue Reading Welcome, innovators! The Innovation Grant Lab opens Sept. 1Read More
As you probably know, I’m a big fan of the Future Trends Forum with Bryan Alexander. Every Thursday afternoon, Alexander hosts some really fascinating higher education authors/leaders in a virtual forum that encourages questions from the audience. Back in March, I blogged about his conversation with Dr. Paul LeBlanc, president of Southern New Hampshire University. Years ago, Alexander introduced me to the work of Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom — author of “Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy.” Since then, Dr. Cottom has received a MacArthur “genius grant” award … and now she’s a New York Times columnist! So what I’m trying to say is that I always learn something cool when I tune into the forum. And here’s a bonus tip: If you can’t join the live conversations, Alexander posts YouTube recordings here. I usually carve some time out on Fridays to watch any forum recordings I’ve missed. On Thursday, Sept. 16, the forum will host Kelly M. Mack, Ph.D., who will help explore the question: How can we best support underrepresented populations in STEM study? Below are the details, followed by my roundup of free professional learning opportunities for September. And don’t forget about our “How to Design a Successful Innovation Grant” virtual… Continue Reading September: Free professional learning opportunitiesRead More
Image from The Mindful Manager I’ve written before about the book “Traction,” and how it has changed my life. “Traction” is where I encountered Stephen Covey’s “Rocks” analogy for the first time. The visual is powerful, so I promise reading this entire passage is worth it: Picture a glass cylinder set on a table. Next to the cylinder are rocks, gravel, sand, and a glass of water. Imagine the glass cylinder as all of the time you have in a day. The rocks are your main priorities, the gravel represents your day-to-day responsibilities, the sand represents interruptions, and the water is everything else that you get hit with during your workday. If you, as most people do, pour the water in first, the sand in second, the gravel in third, and the rocks last, what happens? Those big priorities won’t fit inside the glass cylinder. That’s your typical day. What happens if you do the reverse? Work on the big stuff first: Put the rocks in. Next come the day-to-day responsibilities: Add the gravel. Now dump in the sand, all those interruptions. Finally, pour the water in. Everything fits in the glass cylinder perfectly; everything fits into your day perfectly.… Continue Reading Let’s ROCK our priorities this semesterRead 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