Blessing Ceremony for Lenke Center for Innovation: Unveiling a Hub of Creativity and Progress!

On Thursday, November 18, Felician University held a Blessing Ceremony for the Lenke Family Center for Innovation and its newly appointed leadership and expanded programs. The CFI is located on the third floor of Theresa Mary Martin Hall. Felician Chaplain, Fr. Thomas Ruekert, SDB, blessed the Center saying, “We ask you to send your Holy Spirit upon this Center, fill the students, the staff, and all involved with your wisdom and blessings. May the work they do be transformative, innovative, and invigorating.”

The vision for the Center is to collaborate with experts, entrepreneurs, and Felician students to establish a think tank environment that evaluates, synthesizes, and influences innovative market advancement. Speaking at the Blessing, CFI’s Executive Director, Professor Joseph Lizza, CPA, CGMA, MBA, said, “Innovation in its simplest form is change, change for the better. Whether this be a single change in a product, in a process, or even in a mindset, innovation is looking beyond the charted to the uncharted, to have the courage to try, the fortitude to persevere, and the resilience to use failure as the lesson learned.”

Felician University President James Crawford, III told those gathered for the CFI blessing that innovation and leadership go hand in hand, and discussed the importance of not being risk averse, instead taking thoughtful, useful risks that can advance you, saying, “You strive to have and create an environment in which you have a deliberate framework of experimentation, where you are constantly exploring, constantly piloting new ideas.”

CFI Program Director, Louis Ruvolo, DBA, says students are already working in small multi-disciplinary think tank units, as they collaborate with entrepreneurs to build a portfolio of Instagram and other projects. “Some involved business expansions into larger markets, adapting ‘fun technology’ into a therapeutic setting, and establishing a social media presence not only for the Center, but for all of these small and medium businesses,” said Dr. Ruvolo.

Felician University freshman, Jasmine Mello, said she is already, “Working with a client that is an aesthetician who wants to expand their branding and social media presence.” Another Felician freshman, Katie Kaye, a member of the Instagram team, thanked the Lenke family and her professors, saying, “Honestly this could not have been done without them. This has been an amazing opportunity. I am not even through my first full semester, and I’ve already had an amazing experience.”

The San Damiano or Franciscan Cross, was also blessed at the ceremony, with Sr. M. Annelle Velivis, PhD, saying, “We thought it was extremely important that we bless this room, the San Damiano crucifix, and also those who are the leaders, teachers, and students in this Center.” Sr. M. Aquinas Szott, CSSF, said, “This is something that Felician University is all about. We are hoping to enable and empower all of our students to become leaders wherever life and the world takes them.”