College is the best time of your life. Mostly because you have lots of freedom and your own space. But it might be hard to feel that way the first day you walk in and see your dorm room with those blank off-white walls, twin bedframe and thin mattress. Don’t worry, it’s actually not a bad problem to have. This setup actually means it’s that much easier to turn your room into your very own home away from home.

Follow these five tips to transform that small, plain dorm room into the perfect space for hanging out with friends, studying and getting a good night’s sleep.

Make It Your Own
As small or uncomfortable as your dorm room may be, it will still be the place you rest your head (almost) every night for the next year. Inject your personality! Your dorm room should be a representation of who you are. Turn that bland space into a comfy escape from the pressures of school with posters or pictures from your room back home, a string of lights, a calendar to keep you on schedule and other personal touches. Your room will feel like home in no time.

Stock the Mini-fridge
Nothing will help you enjoy spending time in your room (or make you popular among your friends) like a well-stocked mini-fridge. Make the grocery store your first stop after getting your room setup and load up on solid snack foods. Fill that mini-fridge with water, soda and snacks and anything else your heart (or stomach) desires.

Set Yourself Up for Sweet Dreams
Sleep is your most essential school supply, so it’s important to make sure your room is conducive to getting a good night’s rest. If your dorm room mattress just isn’t up to your standards, you might consider investing in new pillows or a mattress topper/protector. Swing by the nearest Mattress Firm (there’s sure to be one near your school) or go online to check out options for turning your nightmares into sweet dreams.

Open Door Policy
Whether you’re new to campus or staying in a particular dorm for the first time, meeting new people is always fun. When in your room, keep the door open. This way, you can meet and greet your new neighbors and make new study buddies. Buy a few bean bags for friends who might pop in to chat, play video games or come for impromptu get-togethers in your room.

Study in Style
There will be plenty of nights where you just want to study in your room. Let’s face it, eating, playing music and talking to yourself in the library is just a no-no. Whether you’re studying on the bed, at the desk or in a common area, deck out your study space. Get a laptop pillow, highlighters, dry erase board, sticky notes and other things that will make your room study central.

Los Angeles – Aug. 26, 2015 – Tinder, the world’s most popular social app for meeting new people, has just released its list of “Most Right-Swiped” U.S. campuses. According to Tinder’s proprietary data, the list was compiled based on male and female students enrolled in a college or university who received the most right swipes, indicating collectively which schools had the most desirable student body.

Summary of Insights
• Top 10 campuses for females and males who received the most right swipes are widely dispersed, not similar
• University of Mississippi made the top 10 most right-swiped male and female lists
• Top 10 campuses with the most popular females are all public schools
• The majority of campuses with the most popular males are private schools, with the 5th most right-swiped being a military academy
• Top 4 most right-swiped males attend a religiously affiliated university
• Top 25 males: ACC Schools lead with 7; Ivy League came in second with 4 schools
• Top 25 females: SEC schools lead with 5; Big 12, ACC came in second with 4 schools
• Profiles with the most right swipes all contained bios

Top 25 List: Campuses with Most Swiped Right Females
1. Florida State University
2. University of Miami
3. University of Mississippi
4. University of Colorado Boulder
5. University of Alabama
6. Colorado State University
7. Boise State University
8. Iowa State University
9. University of Arizona
10. University of Iowa
11. Kansas State University
12. Indiana University
13. Texas Christian University
14. San Diego State University
15. Virginia Tech
16. Miami University (Ohio)
17. Clemson University
18. Ohio University
19. University of Florida
20. University of Kentucky
21. Auburn University
22. Texas Tech University
23. Pennsylvania State University
24. West Virginia University
25. Southern Methodist University

Top 25 List: Campuses with Most Swiped Right Males
1. Georgetown University
2. Brigham Young University
3. University of Notre Dame
4. Texas Christian University
5. Air Force Academy
6. Yale University
7. Dartmouth College
8. University of Virginia
9. University of Mississippi
10. University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
11. United States Naval Academy
12. Brown University
13. Rice University
14. Tulane University
15. University of Vermont
16. Wake Forest University
17. Cornell University
18. University of Tennessee
19. Ohio University
20. Loyola Marymount University
21. Miami University (Ohio)
22. United States Military Academy (West Point)
23. Mississippi State University
24. Clemson University
25. Boston College

See the full Top 50 list published on Tinder’s blog. Data is based on the ratio of right swipes received by students attending each university, ages 18-23 in the spring of 2015.

About Tinder
Launched in 2012, Tinder is the world’s leading social app for meeting new people. With its global reach, people in all 196 countries around the world are swiping right to connect with others, making it a top 10 lifestyle app in more than 70 countries. In 2015, the company introduced Tinder Plus, giving users access to premium features, Rewind and Passport. Each day, 26 million matches are made on Tinder with more than eight billion matches made to date.

Media Contacts
Rosette Pambakian
VP Communications & Branding
rosette.pambakian@gotinder.com

Alex Munson
Rogers & Cowan for Tinder
amunson@rogersandcowan.com
310.854.8297

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Little Known Tips to Pay Less at College Bookstores

Learn the Hidden Bookstore Hacks That Help You Pay Less for Textbooks

WESTCHESTER, IL, [August 26, 2015] – College students are always looking for opportunities to save money in a sea of rising costs. Even though the prices of tuition, room, and board are going up, there’s one place students are actually paying less – the campus bookstore. But you have to know the tricks of the trade ahead of time, according to Follett’s higher education division, which has been selling books for more than 140 years and manages more than 1,200 college bookstores.

Did you know many bookstores offer to pay students the difference between buying a book online and buying it at the bookstore? If you buy a book and then find it elsewhere at a lower price, you can ask the bookstore manager if there is a low-price guarantee or price-match program that offers compensation for the difference in price between a new, used, or rented book found at another source.  Also, many students and their families are completely unaware that financial aid money can be used to buy books and supplies. Students often don’t read the fine print of grants, which means book money is left on the table.

And don’t forget to check the school library for the book you need. Copies are not always available, but you can’t beat free if you can get it. Even beyond that, the sheer number of options for obtaining textbooks is growing rapidly, with new opportunities for even greater discounts (up to 70 percent off the price of new books) through collaboration between faculty, campuses, publishers and the campus store to bundle course materials as part of tuition or fees.

The best way to acquire textbooks and course materials this fall is to weigh the pros and cons of all your options, according to John C. Hoffman, vice president of Business Intelligence at Follett’s Higher Education Group. Check out this chart illustrating the average potential savings a student can realize when in the market for a $100 textbook, and learn more details about each available option below.

1. Buying new textbooks: If you have the money and want to keep a book forever, then buying it new is your best bet. Generally this applies to primary textbooks within your major that you’ll reference repeatedly, mark up with notes, and keep even after college. But because new books carry the highest cost, be sure you actually want to keep them. If it’s a first edition, used copies will be hard to find. If the content of the book is likely to change over time, you may want to consider other options.

2. Buying used textbooks:  For those who want to avoid paying full price for a new book, used textbooks sell for roughly 25 percent less, and you can choose to keep them when you’re done or sell them again to recoup some of the cost for an even greater savings. The downside: while used textbooks are cheaper, they may come complete with notes and highlights from the previous owners. Also, not all used books come with supplemental materials required by professors, such as an online application passcode, DVD or worksheets.

3. Renting textbooks:  Students who are even more cost-conscious can rent textbooks from 35 percent to 50 percent off the retail price. This is great for people on a budget, but it also has drawbacks. First of all, rental isn’t for every student and every situation. While it represents major savings, students have to return the book on or before a set date – which is usually tied to finals week. Also, some companies don’t allow you to highlight or make notes in a rented book, and late fees could apply if it is not returned on time.  In some cases, you’ll have the option to buy that rented book, but your total out-of-pocket cost may be higher than if you had initially purchased it used.

4. Buying the license for digital books:  Many students are opting for digital course materials. Accessing your textbooks online can save anywhere between 40 and 60 percent compared to buying a new book. This is truly the best of all worlds, allowing you to save money and access the content anywhere, anytime, without having to carry a heavy book.  Digital readers like BryteWave from Follett have rolled textbooks and study tools into one product, giving students the ability to highlight, take notes, and organize notes using your existing laptop, tablet, or phone.  So if you’re mobile, always studying on-the-go, and accessing your education from multiple locations, the digital option might be best.

5. Exploring Custom Programs:  Ask your dean, admissions officer or local campus store manager what custom programs your institution may have in place for even deeper savings.  Today, more and more schools are offering the option of including the cost of required materials directly in tuition and fees.  This puts materials in the hands of students for the first day of class, and most times, at deeper discounts than what’s available online.

6. Building a Professional Library: Don’t immediately default to the lowest cost – in the end, it may cost you more.  Mix types and formats of textbooks to match class requirements to your immediate and longer term plans for the book, as well as your budget and career goals.  If that economics textbook is core to your studies as a business major, buy it new and keep it for years and reference it later. But because that English class is not likely to be core to future economists, save money by renting that big book of poetry and give it back at winter break. Remember most digital content licenses expire—and no doubt so will your computer—so if you really want a book as a reference, go for the hard copy.

Information on Follett’s book-buying options can be found at www.bkstr.com.

For more information about the Follett Higher Education Group,
go to http://www.follett.com/back-to-school.

ABOUT FOLLETT CORPORATION | follett.com
For more than 140 years, Follett has been a trusted partner to pre-K and K-12 schools, districts, and college campuses, taking care of the critical details that make it easier for schools to run, teachers to teach and students to learn. Every day, Follett serves over half of the students in the United States, and works with 70,000 schools as a leading provider of education technology, services and print and digital content. Follett is higher education’s largest campus retailer and a hub for school spirit and community, operating more than 1,200 local campus stores and 1,600 virtual stores across the continent. Headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, Follett is a $2.6 billion privately held company. For more information on Follett, visit www.follett.com.

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Media Contact:
Lauren Mucci
617.646.3317
lmucci@schneiderpr.com

Elsevier OnCampus Ambassador Program connects medical students with Elsevier content; students share tips and tools for surviving and thriving in medical school

Philadelphia, PA, August 6, 2015 – Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, announces the launch of Elsevier OnCampus, a new medical student ambassador program. Elsevier OnCampus connects medical students across the United States, allowing them to share their experience using Elsevier solutions and their advice for surviving medical school.

“As a trusted source of textbooks, eBooks, and online solutions for medical students, we are excited to work with Elsevier OnCampus Ambassadors to support their medical school careers and provide a platform to share how they use Elsevier’s world-class content,” said Linda Belfus, Senior Vice President of Content, Elsevier Clinical Solutions. “Not only will OnCampus Ambassadors interact with and share insights with students on their campus, they will also have the opportunity to network with professors, other OnCampus Ambassadors and distinguished Elsevier authors.”

OnCampus Ambassadors will earn points for completing activities that get the word out about Elsevier solutions including writing blog posts, posting photos/videos on social media using #ElsOnCampus, handing out Elsevier content on campus, hosting meet ups to discuss medical school survival tips, and more. Points are redeemed for Elsevier print books, eBooks, prizes and exclusive discounts.

All OnCampus Ambassadors will automatically receive an Elsevier Toolkit containing over $600 worth of Elsevier content. Elsevier Toolkits contain books such as Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy, Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, access to ClinicalKey, and more. OnCampus Ambassadors will also have the opportunity to be featured in prominent Elsevier blogs, review new products and technologies and build their resume with leadership experience.

Elsevier OnCampus is actively seeking student leaders to be OnCampus Ambassadors. Applicants should be able to commit 10-15 hours per semester, have a passion for medicine, social media, interacting with peers, and be currently enrolled at one of the following medical schools:

Indiana University School of Medicine
Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center
Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
Drexel University College of Medicine
Temple University School of Medicine
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia
Baylor College of Medicine
University of Texas Medical School at Houston
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

For more information about Elsevier OnCampus or to apply, visit ElsevierOnCampus.com or email Elsevieroncampus@elsevier.com.

Tweet this: @Elsevier_Med seeking #medschool students for new Elsevier OnCampus Ambassador Program http://bit.ly/1IenRTE

About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions – among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey - and publishes more than 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 33,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

Media Contact
Christopher Capot
Director, Corporate Relations
Elsevier
+1 212 633 3164
c.capot@elsevier.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 14, 2015

truth® CELEBRATES SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY MOVE TO TOBACCO-FREE

Award-winning Campaign Rallies Students to Start Movements on Their Campuses

Washington, DC – Syracuse University officially became a tobacco-free campus today. The award-winning truth campaign is celebrating this victory in a new online video and launching an online petition to spur more colleges and universities to adopt tobacco-free policies.

Targeting college campuses makes sense: 94 percent of smokers start before age 20 and tobacco-free policies are proven effective tobacco control strategies. Syracuse is not alone in going tobacco-free. The number of colleges and universities with 100% smoke- or tobacco-free policies has tripled in recent years growing from 446 campuses in 2010 to 1,543 campuses in 2015. But there are 6,100 college campuses in the U.S. that have not adopted such policies including University of Southern California, Howard University, Northwestern University, George Mason University, and Texas A&M to name a few.

As part of its Finish It campaign, truth is highlighting Syracuse as an example of an effort to spark youth to use their passion, creativity and influence to push their schools to go tobacco-free.

“The Syracuse Orange experience offers a powerful example of how students can rally together to end tobacco.,” said Robin Koval, CEO and President of Legacy, the national public health foundation that directs and funds truth, and a graduate of Syracuse University. “I’m proud of my alma mater, and I’m proud that truth is using Syracuse’s bold action to encourage other college students and campuses to go tobacco-free.”

The Finish It campaign launched in August 2014 to engage youth and young adults to use their creativity and social influence to end tobacco use for good. “College students have the power to end tobacco use,” said Ritney Castine, Director, Youth Activism at Legacy. “This online effort starts with the premise that any student can start or join a movement on his or her campus, share progress with students elsewhere and contribute to nationwide progress in the fight against the tobacco epidemic.”

Today only 8% of teens smoke – that’s down from 23% in 2000. But tobacco is still the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., which makes tobacco-free policies so important. Any college campus can follow the Syracuse example and any individual can lead the charge on his or her campus. Collectively students can call on their college or university by signing on to the petition at thetruth.com.

In addition to this bold move from Syracuse, truth is highlighting other areas of progress in the effort to make this the generation that ends tobacco use. There are more “progress reports” available online.

About truth
truth® is the most successful and one of the largest national youth smoking prevention campaign. The campaign exposes the tactics of the tobacco industry, the truth about addiction, and the health effects and social consequences of smoking. truth gives teens facts and information about the tobacco industry and its products, allowing them to make their own informed choices about tobacco use. Research-proven as an effective public health intervention, the campaign is credited with keeping hundreds of thousands of teens from starting to smoke. To learn more, visit http://www.thetruth.com. truth is directed and funded by Legacy, a national public health foundation located in Washington, D.C. Legacy was created as a result of the November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the tobacco industry. To learn more about Legacy’s life-saving programs, visit www.LegacyForHealth.org.

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Media Contacts:
Sarah Shank
202-454-5561
sshank@legacyforhealth.org

Mickey Chagnon
202-454-5902
mchagnon@legacyforhealth.org

vitaminwater® Announces Project Hustle Finalists

Ten finalists were chosen in a nationwide search, and now it’s up to the public to decide which projects get funded

(New York, New York) July 1, 2015 – Project Hustle, the crowdfunding-inspired program by vitaminwater®, held a nationwide search for aspiring entrepreneurs, artists-in-training, dreamers and future film directors to find the next idea that breaks the status quo, glass-ceiling, or simply, the internet.

Each finalist has the opportunity to see whether their dreams can become reality, and the chance to win up to a total of $500,000 (across ten finalists) to bring them to life. The top ten best and brightest ideas were chosen in the following five categories: music, film, fashion, art and technology.

Beginning July 1, through August 31, vitaminwater will put the power into the public’s hands to decide which of these finalists will potentially have their projects funded up to $50,000 each. Check out all of the finalists’ projects at www.projecthustle.com and www.youtube.com/vitaminwater.

To fund projects, participating vitaminwater and vitaminwater zero™ bottle caps will contain a code that people can enter online at www.projecthustle.com. Each code holds a specific “virtual dollar” value, which can be allocated to one of the ten finalists’ projects. Backers can be choosers, right? No entrepreneur has made it to the top without some help, so as a thank you, every valid code entered wins a prize that is tied to the value of the code.

“Our ten finalists are some of the best and brightest creators in the nation, and we can’t wait to see how their projects come to life,” said vitaminwater Senior Brand Manager, Ryan Robertson. “vitaminwater began as a small start-up in Queens, so we understand that hard work pays off. Project Hustle is our way of supporting these enterprising artists at the beginning of their journey, relentlessly hustling towards and pursuing their dreams.”

To keep up with the excitement of Project Hustle, follow vitaminwater (@vitaminwater) on Twitter and Instagram, and join the conversation at #projecthustle and #hydratethehustle.

This summer, be on the lookout for vitaminwater hustle counters in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia, as we hand out a “million moments of motivation,” to fuel your hustle. Consumers will get a moment of motivation and complimentary vitaminwater.

For official contest rules, prizing information, odds of winning, and more information, please visit: www.projecthustle.com

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola®, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke®, Fanta®, Sprite®, Coca-Cola Zero™, vitaminwater®, Powerade®, Minute Maid®, Simply™, Georgia® and Del Valle®. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world’s largest e beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

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Media Contact
TCCC PR:
Emily Johnson
T: 212.545.6144
E: emijohnson@coca-cola.com

Voto Latino announces celebrity guest for Sigma Lambda Gamma retreat

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 25, 2015 – Before the 2014 midterm elections, Voto Latino partnered with 16 national Latino and Multicultural Greek-lettered organizations for the Rep Ur Letters Challenge, a competition for Greeks to register voters on their campus and within their communities. In November, Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. was named the winner after registering the most voters through the Rep Ur Letters Challenge.

Voto Latino began the Rep Ur Letters Challenge in 2012 in order to promote voter registration and voting rights among young Latinos, and is excited to provide the women of Sigma Lambda Gamma with an opportunity to hear from an empowering Latina.

Today, Voto Latino has released that Latina supermodel Jaslene Gonzalez will be attending Sigma Lambda Gamma’s 25th Anniversary Sisterhood Retreat July 10-12 in Schaumburg, Illinois, where she will be speaking during their sisterhood banquet. Jaslene rose to fame after being crowned the winner of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 8. Since then, she has been featured in ad campaigns for CoverGirl and Garnier cosmetics, appeared on the covers of Seventeen and Latina magazines, and has gone on international fashion tours in Malaysia, Thailand, Honduras, and India.

“Congratulations to the sisters of Sigma Lambda Gamma on winning the 2014 Rep Ur Letters Challenge,” said Voto Latino President and CEO, María Teresa Kumar. “We are excited for one empowering young Latina to connect with hundreds more.”

To learn more about RepUrLetters, visit www.repurletters.org and to find out how your organization can get involved, please email info@votolatino.org with RUL in the headline.

About Voto Latino
Voto Latino is a nonpartisan organization that empowers Latino Millennials to claim a better future for themselves and their community. United by the belief that Latino issues are American issues and American issues are Latino issues, Voto Latino is dedicated to bringing new and diverse voices to develop leaders by engaging youth, media, technology and celebrities to promote positive change. To learn more about Voto Latino, visit www.VotoLatino.org. Also engage Voto Latino on Facebook at www.facebook.com/VotoLatino, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VotoLatino and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/VotoLatino

About Sigma Lambda Gamma
Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. is a historically Latina-based, multicultural social sorority established on the mission of empowering all women. Founded at the University of Iowa in 1990, the sorority’s founding principles are academics, community service, cultural awareness, morals and ethics, and social interaction.

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Media Contact
Lauren Hedstrom
Fox Greenberg Public Relations
laurenh@foxgreenberg.com
(323) 933-8900 x3

Students recognized for inventions in healthcare, transportation, food and agriculture, and consumer devices

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 19, 2015 – The Lemelson-MIT Program today announced the winners of the Lemelson-MIT National Collegiate Student Prize Competition (NCSPC), a nationwide search for the most inventive team of undergraduate and individual graduate students. The Lemelson-MIT Program awarded $65,000 in prizes for inventions in the healthcare, transportation, food and agriculture, and consumer device spaces. Each winning team of undergraduates received $10,000, and each graduate student winner received $15,000. The winners of this year’s competition were selected from a diverse and highly competitive applicant pool of students from 28 colleges and universities across the country.

“This year’s Lemelson-MIT National Collegiate Student Prize Competition winners are inventors who recognize pressing issues and are pioneering concepts that will translate into impactful solutions,” said Joshua Schuler, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program. “Their work is as remarkable as their passion to mentor and inspire creative thinking among youth.”

2015 Prize Winners & Categories

The “Cure it!” Lemelson-MIT Student Prize
“Cure it!” rewards students working on technology-based inventions that can improve healthcare.
• Stephen John and Joseph Barnett, Western Michigan University, $10,000 Lemelson-MIT “Cure it!” Undergraduate Team Winner: John and Barnett developed a device that provides respiratory support to infants by delivering pressure to prevent lung collapse; it is a simple, energy efficient, safe, reliable and inexpensive way to provide biphasic positive airway pressure and nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation for hospitals with limited resources. The team seeks to equip medical centers in developing countries to deliver more comprehensive treatment for neonates struggling with Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
• Carl Schoellhammer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, $15,000 Lemelson-MIT “Cure it!” Graduate Winner: Schoellhammer is developing two inventions that will drastically enhance pain-free drug delivery in patients via the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. His first invention, the Microneedle Pill (mPill), allows medicine that is traditionally administered by painful injection to be ingested orally. The ingestible capsule has small micron-scale needles protruding from it, which introduce the drug directly into the GI tissue in a painless and safe manner. His second invention, the Ultrasound Probe (uProbe), enables the fast, local delivery of therapeutics to the GI tract by using low frequency ultrasound to physically drive medication into tissue painlessly.

The “Drive it!” Lemelson-MIT Student Prize
“Drive it!” rewards students working on technology-based inventions that can improve transportation.
• Josh Siegel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, $15,000 Lemelson-MIT “Drive it!” Graduate Winner: A typical car has hundreds of sensors and actuators for manufacturer use, but today, drivers are only able to access data for 23 standard parameters. As a pioneer in the “connected car” world, Siegel is developing a system to access this “hidden” data through a car’s On Board Diagnostics (OBD) port and connect this information to a common-cloud development app platform. Dubbed Carduino, his inventive hardware device enables users to access real-time data from all their cars’ sensors and actuators and develop apps that enable them to predict vehicle failures, provide remote control of vehicle functions, and crowdsource information like traffic data and road conditions.

The “Eat it!” Lemelson-MIT Student Prize
“Eat it!” rewards students working on technology-based inventions that can improve food and agriculture.
• Alexander Richter, North Carolina State University, $15,000 Lemelson-MIT “Eat it!” Graduate Winner: Agricultural productivity must rise dramatically if the world is to grow enough food to meet the needs of the projected population in 2050. Despite the vast resources spent each year on crop protection applications, crop damage is estimated at 37 percent due to plant pests and diseases occurring to a large extend because of loss of pesticide efficacy related to pesticide clumping, drying, and run off. Furthermore, today’s toxic and expensive pest control solutions can impact nature’s ecological balance and could pose untold long-term risks. Richter is developing a novel approach to delivering antimicrobial and antifungal pest control agents via lignin-core environmentally-benign Nano Particles (EbNPs). These biodegradable EbNPs could be the basis for Reduced Risk Conventional Pesticide Products that have the potential to reduce the amount of chemicals used in plant protection by as much as 90 percent, save farmers more than 25 percent on pest control initiatives and, in a world facing looming food shortages, help increase crop yields for more and better food.

The “Use it!” Lemelson-MIT Student Prize
“Use it!” rewards students working on technology-based inventions that can improve consumer devices and tools.
• Justin Keenan and Kevin Paroda, Pennsylvania State University, $10,000 Lemelson-MIT “Use it!” Undergraduate Team Winner: Keenan and Paroda are roommates who are passionate about expanding the field of 3D printing. They have created ECHOdrive, an aftermarket vacuum chamber build plate to automate the 3D printing process. ECHOdrive is sold as an add-on to existing 3D printers and allows continuous automated printing, mitigates warping of prints of all shapes and sizes, and boasts remote printing capabilities, eliminating the need for human/machine interaction. ECHOdrive also offers improved print quality over traditional aftermarket build plates. This technology is designed to attract those who cannot afford to purchase a new machine, but want to enhance their 3D printing capabilities.

Applicants were evaluated by screening committees with expertise in the inventive categories as well as a national judging panel of industry leaders – who also select the annual $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize winner – from a variety of inventive disciplines. Screeners and judges assessed candidates on breadth and depth of inventiveness and creativity; potential for societal benefit and economic commercial success; community and environmental systems impact; and experience as a role model for youth.

The competition, supported by The Lemelson Foundation, builds on the legacy of the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize, which has served as a springboard for collegiate inventors for 20 years.

“It is both incredible and inspiring to learn of the societal contributions being made by our Student Prize applicants and winners,” said Dorothy Lemelson, chairman of The Lemelson Foundation. “It is a privilege to be associated with each of them.”

Students interested in applying for the 2016 Lemelson-MIT National Collegiate Student Prize Competition can find more information here.

The Lemelson-MIT Program is seeking partners with interest in sponsoring the competition, in addition to supporting the execution and scaling into any new categories. Interested sponsors should contact Joshua Schuler at awards-lemelson@mit.edu.

ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM
Celebrating invention, inspiring youth

The Lemelson-MIT Program celebrates outstanding inventors and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention.

Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. history’s most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by The Lemelson Foundation and administered by the School of Engineering at MIT, an institution with a strong ongoing commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for K-12 STEM education.

ABOUT THE LEMELSON FOUNDATION
Based in Portland, The Lemelson Foundation uses the power of invention to improve lives. Inspired by the belief that invention can solve many of the biggest economic and social challenges of our time, the Foundation helps the next generation of inventors and invention-based businesses to flourish. The Lemelson Foundation was established in the early 1990s by prolific inventor Jerome Lemelson and his wife Dorothy. To date the Foundation has made grants totaling more than $185 million in support of its mission. For more information, visit http://lemelson.org.

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For More Information:

Molly Owen
Cone Communications
(617) 939-8445
mowen@conecomm.com

Stephanie Martinovich
Lemelson-MIT Program
(617) 258-0632
smartino@mit.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW WEBSITE FEATURES COLLEGE PROFESSORS
EXCLUSIVELY AS ONLINE TUTORS

Tarrytown, New York (May 18, 2015) –Founder Dean Scaros  announced today the introduction of PersonalProfessor.com a website that enables college students to find and engage college professors for one-on-one online tutoring.

Dr. Scaros, a former college professor himself said, “Personal Professor.com gives college students access to professors far beyond their own campus. It erases traditional boundaries and expands students’ choices for learning and academic enrichment.”

The professors affiliated with the site at its introduction are qualified to teach 25 college-level subject categories such as, chemistry, physics and philosophy and over 200 specialized sub-categories such as, quantum mechanics and existentialism. “As colleges take on more and more students, economies of scale don’t seem to apply,” Scaros remarked. “Lecture halls are crowded, professors seem overworked.  But at Personal Professor.com no matter how many students are served, it will always be about individualized instruction.”

Students find their best match of professor-tutors by means of Prof-Select ™ a customized selection process developed exclusively for PersonalProfessor.com. Students enter their desired subject and area of focus and view professors’ profiles and available hours. They can then book a session with a click of the mouse and engage with the professor via Skype or Google Hangouts.

Students seeking tutoring and professors seeking to participate as Personal Professors are invited to visit www.personalprofessor.com or call 1-800-485-4260 to learn more.

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Media Contact:
Dean Scaros, Ph.D.
PersonalProfessor.com
917-414-1661
dscaros@personalprofessor.com

Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA and web and mobile experience management vendor Jadu, Inc. have partnered to implement a single online experience for students and staff, consolidating portal and CMS system into a ‘single campus engagement platform’, Jadu’s Content Portal.

Dickinson, a highly selective college, is home to 2,400 students from across the nation and around the world. A nationally recognized liberal-arts institution, Dickinson is dedicated to global education― at home and abroad—and the study of the environment and sustainability, which is integrated into the curriculum and the campus and exemplifies the college’s commitment to providing students with the skills relevant to 21st century careers.

Described by the college as a project based on “opportunity” and “integration,” Dickinson consolidated Campus Portal and Web Content Management requirements into a single web platform from Chicago-based Jadu, Inc. This platform integrates with the college’s student information system (Banner by Ellucian) for student and employee authentication and identification.

The platform replaced the college’s previous CMS and legacy portal with a system that is available on any mobile, tablet, or desktop device. Students and staff now have a single point of entry for locating important information and functions that are vital to the operation of the college and its day-to-day business transactions. Integration with the college’s CAS authentication services also provides personalization, so students and staff have access to real-time information on courses, academic resources, and other college-related content that is specific to an individual user’s needs.

Robert Renaud, Vice President and CIO at Dickinson College, stated “Given the strategic value of Dickinson College’s web presence we looked not just for a product, but for a long term relationship with a dynamic and responsive company. Jadu’s vision and spirit of teamwork align perfectly with our ambitions.”

“We’re really excited to have partnered with Dickinson and their talented team in delivering this transformational platform”, says Suraj Kika, CEO of Jadu. “What Jadu Content Portal represents is an opportunity for every College and University that uses an enterprise portal and web CMS to consolidate on a single platform for student/prospective student, parent, teacher and alumni engagement on any device. What the teams at Dickinson have delivered is quite simply, beautiful.”

The content in the website portal is personalized based on roles and profiles that exist in the college’s student information system. Jadu Content Portal can also co-exist with an institution’s existing Web CMS system by leveraging seamlessly designed templates. It can be integrated with the college’s enterprise systems such as Student Information Systems (SIS), Document Imaging Systems (ECM) and Learning Management Systems (LMS).

The college’s new website and integrated portal is now live. The web site can be viewed at www.dickinson.edu. The integrated portal is accessible to those with valid access credentials.

Dickinson is now beginning ‘phase 2’ — implementation of the Online Forms capability of the Jadu Content Portal. The Online Forms product will significantly advance how the college delivers online services, especially during times of high-volume activity such as first-year orientation and student organization registration.

For more information, see www.jadu.net/d

Contacts:
John Euston
Vice President, Jadu
john.euston@jadu.net

Christine Dugan
Director, Media Relations
media@dickinson.edu

Images:
Dickinson College logo: http://blogs.dickinson.edu/ecofeminism/files/2010/08/reverse-logo1.jpg
Jadu Logo: http://www.jadu.net/download/downloads/id/2/jadu_logo_-_grey_png.png