MCLearns' Fourth Retreat

Their turkey dinners were a mere 24 hours away, yet for almost 80 Montgomery College employees, November 21 marked a day of innovative inspiration at the fall 2007 Learning College Retreat.

At the retreat, members from throughout the College community gathered to discuss the future of the Learning College and one of its highly publicized and effective programs: Make It Happen! Innovation Grants (MIHIG).

These grants range in value from $300-$3,500 – depending on the project – and serve as the preliminary funding for a variety of faculty and staff driven academic ideas. Spring 2008 will mark the fifth round of grant implementations, and over 50 projects have been developed and funded since the program began in spring of 2006.

“As more people submit [Make It Happen!] grant proposals, the process is becoming even more competitive, and we wanted to give people the opportunity to learn more about the process, learn how to fine tune proposals and how to administer the grants,” said Dr. John Hare, administrative associate for the Office of the Vice President for Learning and Academic Effectiveness (VPLAE), whose office sponsors the retreat.

From generating ideas, to managing the proposal, to documenting the process, and building for the future, attendees learned it all, and the grants were the name of the game that day. To showcase MIHIG success stories and to encourage inspiration, five grant recipients served on a special panel that opened the retreat. Panelists included Clifton McKnight, a Rockville counselor, Ed Palasynski, senior program director for Workforce Development and Continuing Education, Randy Steiner, Rockville professor of architectural technology, Robert Snyder, director of the Macklin Business Institute’s Center for Entrepreneurship, and Karen Benn Marshall, Takoma Park professor of biology.

The retreat offered something for everyone – not just for grant writers. Those looking for topics unrelated to the MIHIG program, were treated to workshops about general academic topics including learning environments, nationwide “learning college” efforts, and the previous success and future plans for MC’s Learning College.

It is the intention of all Make It Happen! grants that they serve as the springboard to promote educational excellence all throughout the College. But inspiration should never end once the final grant dollar is spent. Presenters throughout the afternoon, including Nancy Nuell, director of business development and grants, offered suggestions for alternative, external sources of funding that can allow one small idea to become an institutional staple in Montgomery College operations.

Following the retreat, attention shifted in the Office of the VPLAE to the latest round of grant applications, due on December 3. Currently 32 grant proposals are under review by faculty, staff, and administrators for spring semester implementation. Dr. Hare predicts that these applications and future cycles will be even better, as the College community assimilates what they learned at the focused retreat. Grant recipients for Cycle 5 will be announced in the near future.

RETREAT INFO
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