RALEIGH, NC (February 13, 2015) – Five North Carolina college teams recently earned the opportunity to turn their innovative ideas into reality when selected as winners of the 2015 SECU Emerging Issues Prize for Innovation. SECU Foundation Board Chair McKinley Wooten announced the winning teams this week at the Raleigh Convention Center during the Annual Emerging Issues Forum, honoring the teams for their fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to important issues affecting our State’s future economic competitiveness and well-being. This is the second consecutive year State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) members via their Foundation partnered with the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) at North Carolina State University to provide grants in support of IEI’s Prize competition.
The Emerging Issues Prize for Innovation is designed to stimulate student thinking and the development of solutions to problems facing North Carolina and its communities in the areas of health, education, the natural or built environment and the economy. Thirty-one teams of undergraduate or graduate/professional college students competed for one of five awards – up to $50,000 in prizes.
Winning entries and team recipients of the 2015 SECU Emerging Issues Prize for Innovation include: “Lettuce Learn” – Appalachian State University, $5,000 Emerging Idea Award; “Ellerbe Creek Litter Trap” – Duke University, $10,000 Fan Favorite Award; “Freshspire, Inc.” – Joint team from N.C. State University, UNC-Chapel Hill and East Carolina University, $10,000 Fan Favorite Award; “Canopy Scientific” – Duke University, $25,000 First Runner-Up Award; “Seal the Seasons, LLC” – UNC Chapel Hill, $50,000 Grand Prize Winner.
“State Employees’ Credit Union and its member-owners believe that education and supporting the innovative ideas of today’s young adults is essential to enhancing North Carolina’s economy,” said McKinley Wooten. “SECU Foundation’s commitment to North Carolina students and educational initiatives like the Emerging Issues Prize for Innovation remains strong and we are excited to partner with IEI again. On behalf of SECU members, we offer our congratulations to the winners of the 2015 SECU Emerging Issues Prize for Innovation!”
About SECU and the SECU Foundation
A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, SECU has been providing employees of the State of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 77 years. The Credit Union also offers a diversified line of financial advisory services including retirement and education planning, tax preparation, insurance, trusts, estate planning and investments through its partners and affiliated entities. SECU serves nearly 2 million members through 254 branch offices, 1,100 ATMs, 24/7 Contact Centers and a website, www.ncsecu.org. The SECU Foundation, a 501c (3) charitable organization funded solely by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare and human services.
Photo - L to R: McKinley Wooten-SECU Foundation Board Chair; Governor Pat McCrory; William Chapman and Patrick Mateer- Seal the Seasons, LLC, Grand Prize Winner; Chancellor Carol Folt-UNC Chapel Hill; former Governor James B. Hunt, Jr.