Finalist

Male Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year Award

Dr. Rodney Ridley

Finalist of the Male Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year Award

Alvernia University's O'Pake Institute - United States

"A Catalyst for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Reading and Beyond!"


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https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodney-ridley-715a182/
(Dr. Rodney Ridley's Personal LinkedIn Page)

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The Award Ceremony for this entry (award category "Male Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year ") will take place on 27 June 2023, 17:30 to 18:30 CEST.

Summary

Dr. Rodney S. Ridley Sr. is an engineer by training, entrepreneur, inventor, and now university administrator. With over 30 years in the field, Ridley applies his wealth of knowledge by bringing research and development to life-ultimately leading to positive regional and global change. As an educator, Ridley encourages his students to think critically, problem solve and innovate. Assisting hundreds of businesses and encouraging student entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams, Ridley has dedicated his career in academia to curating experiential learning opportunities that will propel students in their careers and ventures. He encourages those that he leads to be ‘disruptors’ in the field and to unapologetically make an impact on the world around them.

Ridley currently serves as Alvernia University’s founding Dean of the College of Science Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), the Vice President of Research, Economic Development and Innovationand the Chief Operating Officer for Alvernia University’s O’Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship.

Above all else, Ridley is a mentor and advocate for students, faculty, and staff. Ridley’s superpower is identifying the unique gifts and talents of others and guiding them on how to apply those gifts and talents to their field of study.

Key People


Michelle Rae Conway
Director of Student and Client Services
The O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship,  Alvernia University



Caitlin Long
Ph.D. Graduate Assistant of Health, Research and Innovation
The O'Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship,  Alvernia University



John R. Loyack
President
Alvernia University



Dr. Glynis Fitzgerald
President-Elect and Provost
Alvernia University


Acknowledgements

Special Acknowledgements:

John R. Loyack, President, Alvernia University
Glynis Fitzgerald, President-Elect & Provost, Alvernia University
Michelle Conway, Director of Student and Client Services, Alvernia University's O'Pake Institute
Caitlin Long, Ph.D. Graduate Assistant of Health, Research and Innovation, Alvernia University's O'Pake Institute
The Ridley Family

The O'Pake Institute Leadership Team
Lizette Epps, Executive Director of Financial Services and Internal Operations
Carolyn Gibson, Program Coordinator
Donald Schalk, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
Mary Ellen Wells, Interim Provost, Executive Director Academic Services, Research & Scholarship
Innovation Subcommittee, Advisory Board

Alvernia University's Senior Leadership Team








Images

Dr. Rodney S. Ridley Sr.

Reading CollegeTowne Ribbon Cutting

Technology Transfer and Innovation with TriiiLax

Dr. Ridley with Students at AUTM Conference

Dr. Rodney Ridley Presenting at AUTM Conference

IMPACT STORY

Impacting lifes

Dr. Rodney S. Ridley Sr. has two unique superpowers. First, he has the innate ability to identify the unique gifts and talents of others. Second, he is a visionary leader and he is constantly identifying new and innovative ways to create regional and global change. Ultimately, Ridley positively impacts the lives of individuals and the community at large.

With both of those superpowers in mind, in 2020 Ridley embarked on a mission to significantly change the economic landscape in the city of Reading, Pennsylvania. Working alongside Alvernia University’s Senior Leadership Team, Alvernia University President, John Loyack and Ridley launched the Reading CollegeTowne Strategy. Through critical partnerships and collaborations with the City of Reading, Alvernia positioned itself to serve as a strategic enabler for strengthening the local economy downtown. Ridley was a driving force behind the initiative.

When Ridley reflects on this initiative, he often refers to the quote ‘Do Not Go Where The Path May Lead, Go Instead Where There Is No Path And Leave A Trail - Ralph Waldo Emerson.’ The trail that Ridley is leaving is awe-inspiring.

Since Ridley joined Alvernia University for this initiative, the University purchased and transformed a 260,000 square-foot building in center city, launched the College of STEAM, relaunched the O’Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, provided over 50 students with hands-on experiential learning opportunities and above all ignited the torch for a newfound hope in the City of Reading and Berks County.

LEARNINGS

Lessons learned

An Institution of Higher education (IHE) has a unique and special mission; transforming students into trained professionals with a passion for lifelong learning. This is crucial. They can also have a considerable positive impact on the communities in which they serve. Unfortunately, as an industry, higher education has not substantially changed since its inception in the 1300’s. Like every other industry has faced, it is now under tremendous disruptive pressure. When disruption occurs, institutions that do not adapt and change may be lost. We are seeing evidence of this every day, especially the small-midsize institutions.

Our institution is embarking on a new model of how a regional IHE's operate and grow. We have created and implemented an effective new strategy that simultaneously: 1) revolutionizes the old Town-Gown relationship, 2) transforms and grows the university, 3) gives students a transformational experiential learning experience and 4) positively impacts the local community. We are intentionally creating unique partnerships with industry, government, municipalities, non-profits, and others to develop distinctive student experiential learning, local economic redevelopment, advanced applied research opportunities, professional workforce development, and community revitalization.

At the heart of this change process is recognizing that IHEs now must be entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurship by its very nature means doing something that has never been done before, something unique that will not be easy. Therefore, two key attributes required for success are persistence and risk-taking. Consequently, to survive disruption, an IHE must be revolutionary, not evolutionary.

FUTURE PLANS

What's coming?

Institutions of higher education (IHE) are renowned for helping to create innovations through new research and discoveries. These IHEs have built systems that enable bringing research and discoveries commercially to the marketplace from university labs. Our plan is to take these systems for the commercialization of unique discoveries and open them up to the public so we can assist in them. As a small regional institution of higher education, located in a small municipality, we plan to operate a student-powered business incubator and technology transfer office on behalf of the County and City. The relative impact on the regional economy will be transformational. This program will be bolstered by unique partnerships with members of our local industry and professional service provides, who are keenly interested in participating in developing their future workforce. Likewise, the impact on the students through experiential learning will also be transformational; students will get unique resumable project-based experiences. Likewise, faculty will have the opportunity to get involved in industry sponsored applied research. When fully operational this will also provide new streams of non-traditional revenue for the institution that will allow us to sustain this program.

KEY STATISTICS

200+

200+ businesses received entrepreneurial services in the Berks County between 2020-2023.

50+

Provided 50+ students with experiential learning opportunities (2020-2023).

28

Personal patents held.

1

University patent obtained (2022) + 6 pending since 2020.

1.75 M sq ft.

The CollegeTowne Initative spurred 1.75 M sq ft. of downtown property development.

Triple E Awards

The Triple E Awards are a global recognition of efforts toward the quest for entrepreneurship and engagement in higher education. It is the first award to focus specifically on different dimensions of the universities' third mission. Implemented regionally, the Triple E Awards aim to foster change in universities and to emphasize their role in their communities and ecosystems.

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