<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#0F243E;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:940141680;
mso-list-template-ids:-1445138450;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body bgcolor="white" background="cid:image001.jpg@01CFC77F.3B1CF040" lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<img src="cid:image001.jpg@01CFC77F.3B1CF040" v:src="cid:image001.jpg@01CFC77F.3B1CF040" v:shapes="_x0000_Mail" width="0" height="0" class="shape" style="display:none;width:0;height:0">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="color:black">The Lions Innovation Showcase</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">The Lions Innovation Showcase is an event where members of the Texas A&M University –Commerce community can exhibit and/or sell their creative/innovative product, service, or solution to the broader City of Commerce
community. We encourage all faculty, staff and students to use this event as a platform to showcase their innovativeness and creativity in any domain of their interest (e.g., art, physics, dance, music, culinary, marketing, social entrepreneurship, sports,
health and so on). The first Lions Innovation Showcase will take place on November 22<sup>nd</sup> from approximately 10AM -- 5PM (the specific time is still to be determined) on the City of Commerce Square. We anticipate having this event at the end of each
Spring and Fall semester thereafter. Currently, we have approximately 80-90 individuals participating in the event; most are in groups of 4 while others are individual projects. While the event will take place in Commerce, the University encourages students
from all of our off-site locations to be a part of this event and showcase their product/service.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">Purpose:</span></u><span style="color:black"> the purpose of this initiative is to influence faculty, staff and student attitudes at Texas A&M University-Commerce towards an opportunity recognition and/or value
creation mindset that foments the pursuit of dreams by embracing proactivity, creativity, innovativeness and risk-taking. This mindset is in line with the university mission to ‘shape the future’ and ‘transform lives’ by producing leaders and life-long learners.
Also, the initiative supports University’s values: “Ceaseless industry, fearless investigation, unfettered thought, and unselfish service to others through Integrity, Innovation, and Imagination.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">Examples of exhibits:</span></u><span style="color:black"> art students could display and offer artwork for sale; engineering students may opt to have a stand to explain a new product they have designed and/or
show a prototype; students taking an app design course might try to show and/or sell an innovative app they developed; business students might offer a product/service for sale; students pursuing social work may exhibit and/or pursue a venture/project that
stimulates social value creation; music students might want to perform and/or sell their music. Different organizations might want to either exhibit their creations and/or raise funds for their organization, their members or for social benefit. In short, the
purpose of the Showcase is to create a platform for students across campus to present their ideas to the community.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">Prizes:</span></u><span style="color:black"> All participants will be eligible to win prizes. While the specific categories and rewards have still not been defined, the general criteria are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">1. Reflects knowledge of domain:</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">5-points:</span></u><span style="color:black"> Develops product/service using in-depth/sophisticated domain-specific criteria<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">3-points:</span></u><span style="color:black"> Develops product/service using adequate domain-specific criteria<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">1-point:</span></u><span style="color:black"> Develops product/service using superficial and/or inaccurate domain-specific criteria<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">2. Satisfies a demand/need in the market:</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">5-points:</span></u><span style="color:black"> The product/service creates great value for the intended target audience<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">3-points:</span></u><span style="color:black"> The product/service creates some value for the intended target audience<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">1-point:</span></u><span style="color:black"> The product/service does not create value for the intended target audience<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">3. Innovation/creativity:</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">5-points:</span></u><span style="color:black"> Creates a novel/unique product/service and/or the way a product/service is delivered.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">3-points:</span></u><span style="color:black"> Modifies or finds new uses for existing products/services and/or the way they are delivered<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">1-point:</span></u><span style="color:black"> Uses existing products/services and/or existing methods of delivery<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">4. Sustainability:</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">5-points:</span></u><span style="color:black"> The project has the potential to be highly successful post the Lions Innovation Showcase<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">3-points:</span></u><span style="color:black"> The project has the potential to be moderately successful post the Lions Innovation Showcase<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">1-point:</span></u><span style="color:black"> The project does not have the potential to be successful post the Lions Innovation Showcase<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">5. Presentation:</span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">5-points:</span></u><span style="color:black"> The exhibition of the product/service during the showcase clearly depicts the product/service being offered, draws heightened attention from the public and strongly
elicits the desired behavior from the target market.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">3-points:</span></u><span style="color:black"> The exhibition of the product/service during the showcase somewhat depicts the product/service being offered, draws modest attention from the public and sporadically
elicits the desired behavior from the target market.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="color:black">1-point:</span></u><span style="color:black"> The exhibition of the product/service during the showcase does not clearly depict the product/service being offered, does not draw attention from the public and
does not elicit the desired behavior from the target market.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">In summary, we hope that:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">Professors across disciplines encourage their students to present class projects involving creativity and innovativeness to participate; this activity offers students an experiential learning
opportunity while creating a broader community awareness of tangible class outcomes<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">Student organizations use the Showcase to raise funds and create community awareness of their mission<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">Individual students participate to exhibit a new venture concept in order to raise seed capital, to sell a product/service to make extra money, to bolster their resume or simply to have fun<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">We urge you to notify us of your intention of participating in the Lions Innovation Showcase as soon as possible. For example, if you are a faculty who is involving your students in this event, please notify us
of your class, number of students, tentative number of projects and general concepts of the exhibits (e.g., art, engineering, dance, music, food sales….). Similarly, if you are an organization or individual seeking to participate in the showcase, please contact
us as soon as possible. Early communication will help us with the logistics for the event.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">If you would like to participate in the Lions Innovation Showcase, please email Dr. Mario Hayek at:<a href="mailto:mario.hayek@tamuc.edu" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">mario.hayek@tamuc.edu</span></a>;
a webpage for the event is currently being developed and is expected to be launched at the beginning of the Fall 2014 semester.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0F243E"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>