Purdue and Sara Lee to stir student creativity
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University students can cook up ideas that may lead to a commercially developed product as part of a contest sponsored by Sara Lee.The $10,000 Sara Lee Innovation Award marks the first time the Chicago-based global manufacturer has exclusively partnered with a university to present a financial award for innovation.
Sara Lee Food and Beverage announced the partnership with Purdue as a way to encourage innovation and foster ties with young talents.
Students from four Purdue areas are eligible to compete: agricultural and biological engineering, foods and nutrition, food science, and hospitality and tourism management. In addition to the $10,000 student prize, faculty members who serve as team advisers will receive $1,000 to be used for educational purposes.
"This award is a wonderful opportunity for students because it gives them the chance to work closely with faculty to develop their ideas," said Connie Weaver, department head and distinguished professor in Purdue's Department of Foods and Nutrition.
"Sara Lee's sponsorship will provide students with valuable feedback on how products progress through the commercialization process. The prize money being offered is sure to motivate many students to give it a go."
Students must submit a short application outlining their idea or concept along with their expected budget and adviser's name by Jan. 8. Sara Lee will provide up to $500 for each team's development expenses.
If chosen to compete, teams will develop each innovation during the spring semester. In April, a judging panel composed of Sara Lee executives and Purdue faculty will evaluate entries and choose the final winner. Competition priority will be given to team applications with representation from each of the four eligible departments.
Entries should be novel and fit into either the retail or wholesale product divisions at Sara Lee. Student innovations should fit into or complement Sara Lee's bakery, meats, sauces, dressings or coffee lines.
Applications and more information are available online at each department's Web site.
Writer: Tanya Brown, (765) 496-9711, tanyabrown@purdue.edu
Source: Connie Weaver, (765) 494-8231, weavercm@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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