Congratulations to the FY25 Brookdale Innovation Grant (BIG) Winners!

SEL Quest

Christy DeVito, Education Department

$1,231

The SEL Quest will be an interactive learning experience designed for Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). This multimedia resource will offer opportunities for users to interact with the content and respond to scenarios and questions relating to each of the competencies of the CASEL Framework. The SEL Quest will be beneficial for anyone interested in learning about SEL, as it could apply in any discipline.

Infusing Career Competencies Across the College

Jill Donovan, Career Center

$4,925

Infusing career readiness skills into activities and courses across the College will give Brookdale students the opportunity to define and develop highly desired career skills. The project will begin with research and consultation with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) during Summer 2024. Administrators and faculty will have the opportunity to attend 2 trainings/workshops during Summer 2024 and Fall 2024 to learn about integrating career readiness into curriculum and programming.

Sin Miedo al Éxito/Without Fear of Success: Radio Jornalera Mentors Brookdale Students x Empowering Community Voices Project

Angela Kariotis & Ana Pazmino, Diversity & Inclusion/CCOG

$5,000

The Empowering Community Voices Project is a pioneering initiative in collaboration with Radio Jornalera NJ, specifically designed to address the unique challenges faced by Spanish-speaking and undocumented students. This program provides students with valuable, practical skills in media technology and community organizing, fields where employment opportunities do not necessarily require traditional workplace arrangements, which can be prohibitive due to legal constraints.

Stellar Pathways: Advancing STEM Education through Accessible Astronomy Labs

Dr. Nancy Liu & Michelle Paci, Physics Department

$5,000

The Stellar Pathways project will introduce innovative and hands-on laboratory experiences in Astronomy by adding a 4-credit General Education Lab Science course. Through collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Center and leveraging open educational resources, this project aims to minimize financial barriers and ensure equity-advancing values via experiential learning experiences for all students.