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College of Engineering

College of Engineering, KEEN Network Colleagues Earn Gold

2012 Edison Awards

As a member of the Kern Entrepreneurship Education Network (KEEN), the College of Engineering recently celebrated a big win at the 2012 Edison Awards Gala, which honors achievements in innovation and excellence in the development of new products and services. The KEEN Network, comprised of engineering schools at 20 colleges and universities, took home the Gold Award in the category of Collaborative Networks and Support at the April 26 ceremony, held this year in New York City.

“The cooperative spirit is integral to successful innovation, and we are honored to be recognized for our participation in such a positive, productive consortium of educators committed to instilling the entrepreneurial spirit in tomorrow’s engineers,” says Edmond J. Dougherty, Director of the Engineering Entrepreneurship Program and Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Together, the KEEN network impacts nearly 19,000 students. In addition to the rigorous technical fundamentals they offer as part of their curricula, KEEN network partners also offer experiential opportunities aimed at developing the professional skills necessary for their future work, such as:

  • Effective collaboration in a team setting
  • Critical and creative thinking
  • Development and effective communication of a customer-appropriate value proposition
  • Persistence and learning through failure
  • Project management and commercialization
  • A commitment to social responsibility
  • Appreciation for the role of personal liberties and free enterprise in entrepreneurship

In addition to Villanova University, KEEN Network members include the undergraduate engineering schools at Baylor University, Boston University, Bucknell University, Gonzaga University, Kettering University, Lawrence Technological University, Mercer University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Ohio Northern University, Saint Louis University, Santa Clara University, Union College, University of Dayton, University of Detroit Mercy, University of Evansville, University of New Haven, Western New England University, Widener University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

The Kern Family Foundation supports the KEEN Network through its mission to enrich lives by promoting educational excellence and high-quality, innovative engineering talent. Founders Drs. Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern have a strong commitment to science, technology, engineering, and math education and believe that a solid background in math and problem-solving concepts, coupled with an understanding of responsible innovation, are key to meeting the challenges that America will face in a rapidly changing global economy.