TCC Students Named Finalists in National Innovation Competition

Tulsa Community College was named one of 12 national finalists in the Community College Innovation Challenge, sponsored by the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Science Foundation. TCC students and their advisor presented their project, a smart-home feature for secure drone deliveries, during an Innovation Boot Camp in Washington, D.C.

Tulsa Community College is one of 12 teams nationwide to advance to the final phase of the Community College Innovation Challenge, a national competition sponsored by the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Science Foundation. TCC was the only college in Oklahoma selected as a finalist.

The annual challenge invites community college student teams, guided by faculty or an administrator mentor, to develop STEM-based solutions to everyday problems. Finalist teams were awarded an invitation to attend an Innovation Boot Camp in Washington, D.C., to compete for cash prizes and share their ideas with experts and practitioners in their respective field.

TCC’s team, comprised of students Adrian Carrillo and Jonathan Ford, designed “Portal – An Integrated Drone Delivery Solution,” a smart-home feature that enables secure and efficient drone deliveries. Envisioned to be built into new homes during construction, the system includes a motorized external hatch, theft-resistant storage, and an interior retrieval door to create a safe package delivery experience.

Jonathan Ford, a Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science double major, sparked the idea after watching a video of a drone mishandling a package.

“The package tumbled through the backyard, and it could have landed anywhere and been rained on. So, I started working on an idea to make drone deliveries safer, and then I saw the competition in an email,” says Ford. “The idea was already forming, and this challenge gave me a reason to design a prototype and move it forward.”

Ford recruited Carrillo, who is double majoring in Spanish and Business, after a faculty recommendation. Though new to innovation competitions, Carrillo has a background in real estate and quickly saw the potential in the idea.

“When I saw how passionate Jonathan was, I wanted to be involved in the project,” says Carrillo. “This is a real solution to a real problem, and TCC gave us the opportunity to bring it to life.”

The students collaborated over just three weeks to develop their concept, write a proposal, and produce a short video pitch. Ford used 3D modeling software to visualize their concept, while Carrillo helped shape the narrative and business case.

The team’s faculty mentor, Jeff Horvath, Assistant Professor in TCC’s School of Business and Information Technology, provided guidance throughout the process.

“Jonathan and Adrian brought creativity, technical skills, and entrepreneurial thinking to this project,” says Horvath. “Their work is a great example of what community college students are capable of when they’re given the tools and support to innovate.”

At the Innovation Boot Camp held in Washington, D.C., in early June, Carrillo, Ford, and Horvath participated in workshops to learn how to commercialize ideas, use technology for social applications, communicate with stakeholders, and refine a pitch. They also discussed their project with U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern (OK-01).

For more information on the Community College Innovation Challenge, visit www.aaccinnovationchallenge.com.