Guide / Student Playbook
The 2024-2025 Bronco Challenge for Sustainable Impact
An opportunity nationally recognized for innovation in sustainability education, the Bronco Challenge invites all full-time WMU students to compete for financial prizes. Students will form interdisciplinary teams to tackle problems that challenge the survival of civilization.
For more details, visit: Bronco Challenge
Start Date: Fall 2024
Welcome to the Bronco Challenge! This exciting competition invites teams of students to develop innovative solutions addressing pressing social, environmental, and economic issues. Below, you will find all the necessary details to participate and succeed in the challenge.
Challenge Deliverables
Format Requirements:
- Document Specifications: 8.5” x 11” paper, 12 pt Times New Roman font, single-spaced, 1-inch margins, numbered pages, PDF format.
- Cover Page: Include title, authors' names, and the date.
- Graphics and Videos: Use graphics to enhance explanations and include hyperlinks to any complementary videos (max 3 minutes).
Phase 1 – Team Formation and Proposal Submission
Due Date: November 12, 2024, by 5 pm
Submission: Email to Professor Neil Drobny, PhD at Neil.Drobny@wmich.edu
Page Limit: 7 pages
Proposal Contents:
- Project Scope and Objectives
- Project Inspiration
- Solution Vision
- Solution Advantages
- Project Management
- Solution Implementation
- Supporting Resources
- Team Member Profiles
Note: Proposals missing any of the above items or being less than 7 pages will not be accepted.
Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be critiqued on clarity, grammar, writing style, and completeness.
Phase 2 – Oral Progress Report
Dates: February 3-14, 2025
Format: In-person meeting with Dr. Drobny and a Comm Center staff member
Report Contents:
- 10-minute PowerPoint Presentation
- Follow-up Q&A Session
Evaluation Areas:
- Project Drivers
- Improvements
- Solution Detail
- Implementation Testing
- Supporting Resources
- Priority Tasks
Feedback will be provided immediately after the meeting.
Phase 3 – Final Evaluations
Final Report Due Date: March 19, 2025, by 5 pm Page Limit: 5 pages
- Detailed Solution Description
- Path of Inquiry
- Business Plan
- Lessons Learned
- Mentors and Experts
- Date: April 3, 2025
- Format: 15-minute presentation followed by a 10-minute Q&A
- Location: Schneider Hall, Room 2XXX, Haworth College of Business
The presentation will be live-streamed and recorded.
Terms & Conditions:
Eligibility: Teams must have 4 members from at least two disciplines, all full-time students in good standing at WMU.
Financials: No participation fee. Teams bear any material costs. Cash awards are subject to taxes.
Intellectual Property: Submitted materials remain the property of the team but can be used by WMU for non-commercial promotion.
Information Meetings Schedule:
- October 29, 2024: General information session for all interested students.
- January 14, 2025: Q&A session for teams accepted into the challenge.
- March 12, 2025: Guidance for final report submission.
- March 26, 2025: Preparation for oral presentations.
Exact locations will be announced.
FINAL PRESENTATION 2023/24 YEAR CHALLENGE
Contact Information: For any questions, reach out to Dr. Neil Drobny at Neil.Drobny@wmich.edu.