Navigation

Meredith Alumna Competing in Idea Generation Next: College Edition Competition

Meredith alumna Jovita Lee, ’16, will compete in the final round of the Idea Generation Next: College Edition Competition (IGN: CE) hosted by United Way of the Greater Triangle on Monday, January 15, 2018, at noon at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. The IGN: CE final competition is free and open to the public.

IGN: CE, a social innovation competition among students at Triangle area colleges and universities, aims to generate innovative ideas that remedy issues of poverty in the community.

The six finalists are competing in support of a social innovation idea. They will have four minutes each to present their ideas, followed by a Q&A session. There will be a winner selected by judges and a people’s choice award chosen by the audience.

Lee’s social innovation idea is a nonprofit called A Second Chance, which will offer programs dedicated to the educational advancement of children and adults as well as the improvement of the legal status of non-citizens or non-residents of low-wealth communities of the Triangle. The organization will take a three-fold approach by creating a mentorship program for children, a Fundamentals of Business program for adult learners, and a legal support program for non-residents and non-citizens.

“I feel compelled to help others because of the opportunities I’ve been blessed with, like attending Meredith and getting my education,” Lee said. “I want to make sure everyone is able to start on an even playing field.”

Participants in IGN: CE attended training and networking sessions that helped each student improve their project plans. It was a supportive environment in which the participants were able to learn from and support each other.

“Having that networking and interaction with mentors from many different backgrounds was a great benefit of this competition process,” Lee said. “It was rewarding to see other students and learn about their ideas. There were a lot of bright people with bright ideas.”

Lee, who earned an undergraduate degree in international studies at Meredith, is currently a student in Meredith’s Business Foundations certificate program.

In 2017, Lee competed in the Meredith College Social Entrepreneurship Challenge, an experience that helped prepare her for the United Way competition.  “That helped me develop my idea and gave me experience articulating it so that my vision is understood,” Lee said.

Lee credits her parents, Rickey Lee and Alma Lane Lee, with supporting her in reaching her goals. “Everything I do is for them,” Lee said.

IGN: CE is presented by the United Way of the Greater Triangle and The Institute in partnership with six Triangle area colleges, including Meredith.  Learn more about the competition

Melyssa Allen

News Director
316 Johnson Hall
(919) 760-8087
Fax: (919) 760-8330

allenme@meredith.edu