OHIO students solve real-world problems in Eco Challenge competition

The ninth annual Eco Challenge at Ohio University was a thrilling showcase of student innovation and sustainability.

This exciting competition, generously sponsored by Dan Squiller, gave six student-led groups the chance to develop and present sustainability plans for the campus. The final four teams battled it out in the live Eco Challenge, with Team Six taking home the top prize this year.

The competition is part of the Leadership in Practice class, taught by Kim Jordan. The immersive, semester-long class encourages students to tackle real sustainability problems through hands-on learning.

Throughout the fall semester, teams worked closely with stakeholders, assessed potential returns on investment, and advanced their projects before presenting them. With 90% of the global economy pledging Net Zero carbon, sustainability is becoming increasingly attractive to investors, Jordan noted.

The class brought together students from various majors, including business, communications, and engineering, fostering collaboration that mirrors real-world scenarios where diverse expertise is essential.

This year, four teams presented their innovative solutions to a panel of five distinguished judges:

• Serial Entrepreneur Niell Lane
• Former OHIO President Dr. Hugh Sherman
• Honors Tutorial College Dean Dr. Kristine Bross 
• Vice President of Design and Construction Jon Cozad
• Executive Director of Experiential Learning Lindsey Rudibaugh

The judges evaluated the projects based on validity, practicality, rigor, stakeholder engagement, clarity, and completeness.

The competing teams and their projects

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• Team One: Jack Glen, Drew Harris, Jess Mitchell, Olivia Stackin, Cole Fitzwater and Blake Brannan aimed to solve lighting issues in the West Green parking garages by replacing broken and burnt-out bulbs with energy-efficient LED lights. Their project promised to enhance student safety and align with OU’s sustainability goals.
• Team Three: Jacob Bell, Carmen Brown, Gillian Goecke, Samantha Phat, Max Taylor, Claire Rector, Delaney Routee, Hunter Miller and Nathan Herchl proposed transforming the empty space where Scott Quad used to be into a green space with a grass amphitheater surrounded by trees. This space would provide students with a place to socialize and study.
• Team Four: Aidan Ciehanoski, Joe Fernandez, Maddie Fortuna, Kyle Fullam, Haley Guisinger, Victoria Ross, Ahmed Al Kharusi and Stephen Mosack focused on Café Bibliotech in Alden Library. Their goal was to switch from disposable to reusable cups, reducing disposable cup usage by two-thirds. Despite their innovative approach, they narrowly missed first place by just 0.1 point.
• Team Six: Avery Murdock, Kiley Scanlon, Nathan Jennings, Espen Elliot, Manar Al Ghailani and Mazin Al Jahwari won the challenge with their plan to replace the lighting in the University Service Center with cost-effective LED lights. This project aimed to create a better workspace and support OHIO’s carbon-neutral pledge.

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Each member of Team Six received $100, while Team Four was awarded $100 to share among the group. 

“I’m very proud of not just myself, but my group members and all the work we’ve put into this over the semester,” Jennings said.

The Eco Challenge was a resounding success, bringing together a diverse mix of students and challenging them to solve real-world problems that matter to their community. The prize money for the competition was generously sponsored by Squiller.

“What I appreciate the most about the program is how we’re able to give students a true experiential learning opportunity where everything they encounter—the good, the bad, and the ugly—is what they will see when they leave here,” Squiller said. “You don’t get that so much in a classroom.”

This year’s Eco Challenge not only celebrated student ingenuity but also underscored the importance of sustainability in shaping a better future for Ohio University and beyond.