When Jennifer Tidwell heard her team’s name called as the winner of UNLV’s 4th annual President’s Innovation Challenge, she was so stunned that she started clapping alongside the audience, thinking another team had won the grand prize. It wasn’t until her teammate, Aryah Certain, brushed past her, saying, “Jennifer, come on!” that it hit her: they had won. Months of research, late-night meetings, and overcoming setbacks had led to this moment.
Their team’s solution, Fanthropy, a volunteer incentive platform that turns sports fandom into social good, captured the judges’ attention, earning them the grand prize, the community partnership award, and 3-day passes to the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
At the President’s Innovation Challenge final competition on April 10, Team 4Front took center stage to present their solution to enhance volunteer engagement. Fanthropy partners with sports team to incentivize community service by offering rewards such as unsold game tickets, leftover merchandise, and exclusive experiences with athletes.
The President’s Innovation Challenge is a team competition encouraging entrepreneurship to help solve major problems in Southern Nevada and beyond. This year's focus was on developing solutions that leverage professional sports in Las Vegas to address social issues, foster economic diversity, and increase community engagement, creating a more inclusive, supportive, and vibrant local society.
After preparing over the academic year, six teams advanced to the final round, where they presented their proposals for a chance at cash prizes to help launch their solution and turn it into a reality.
The Winners:
- Community Partnership Award: Team 4Front
- Social Impact Award: NextHorizon
- Tech Innovation Award: NextSledge
- Grand Prize Award: Team4Front
Here, the Grand Prize winners reflect on the competition and their win.
About Team 4Front
Team 4Front’s proposed platform, Fanthropy, encourages volunteerism by working with local sports teams to offer rewards through unsold tickets, unsold merchandise, and athlete engagement opportunities.
In Nevada, there is a shortage of volunteer support, with fewer than 1 in 5 people volunteering. Over 80% of volunteers have stated that seeing their impact and getting rewarded would make them more motivated to volunteer.
Meet the Team:
- Aryah Certain, bachelor of science student in Information Systems and Finance with a minor in Global Entrepreneurship
- Jennifer Tidwell, master's student in Gaming and Hospitality Management
How did you hear about the competition, and how did your team come together?
Aryah: I heard about the competition through my emails and heard about it from some of my friends who had previously done the challenge. My best friend, Tania Rose, and I started together, and then we went on the Discord that PIC provided to find the rest of the team. We wanted to get a diverse team with vastly different areas of expertise. Through this, we found a core team who shared the same vision for social impact through volunteerism, and we came together with a common goal of leveraging sports fandom for community service.
Jennifer: I heard about the UNLV President’s Innovation Challenge through the Graduate College Medallion program, which I learned about while in the Graduate Rebel Ambassadors program. Both programs encouraged me to get more involved, step out of my comfort zone, and take on opportunities that make a real impact. At first, I wanted to participate in the challenge to earn points toward the Graduate College Medallion before I graduate in the fall, but it quickly became more than that. These programs pushed me to believe I had something valuable to contribute.
What was your proposal?
Aryah: Fanthropy connects sports teams, nonprofits, and volunteers in a unique ecosystem where volunteers can earn points by participating in community service, which they can redeem for exclusive sports merchandise or experiences. This incentivizes volunteerism and builds a sustainable platform for both nonprofits and sports teams to have a lasting impact.
Jennifer: Reward systems are everywhere: in retail, restaurants, travel, and even gaming and entertainment. We thought, why not use that idea for volunteering? It makes giving back more engaging and meaningful while also helping nonprofits and bringing the community together through sports.
What inspired your idea?
Aryah: The idea was inspired by my experience running my own nonprofit and volunteering with many others across Nevada. I’ve seen how nonprofits often struggle with support, especially in Vegas, when it comes to funding, volunteering, and consistency. I started thinking about how we could reframe volunteering to feel more rewarding. Sports teams have a powerful connection with their communities, and when I brought the idea to my team, Jennifer mentioned MGM Resorts Foundation, which helped us see the potential and feasibility of the concept. We went over multiple community issues, and Fanthropy felt like the most impactful way to bridge the gap.
Jennifer: When our team began discussing ideas, Aryah shared the concept of connecting fans with community service. I brought in my experience with MGM Resorts Foundation, my employer’s volunteer program, as an example of how structured volunteerism can work. It gave us a strong model to build from. We explored different community needs and kept coming back to one question: how do we make giving back exciting? Sports teams already bond with their fans, and we saw an opportunity to channel that passion into something meaningful. Fanthropy came to life by using the power of sports to drive volunteerism and support nonprofits.
What was your team’s process as the competition unfolded?
Aryah: In the beginning, we took a divide-and-conquer approach — delegating research, market validation, and development tasks. When our team went from four members to two, it became more challenging. But our commitment to the vision never wavered. We doubled down on our efforts, stayed organized, and supported one another through each phase of the competition.
Jennifer: For me, the biggest part of the process was staying flexible and just rolling with whatever came our way. There were ups and downs, especially when our team got smaller, but Aryah and I kept pushing forward. We kept each other motivated, picked up the slack when needed, and tried to keep the momentum going even when things got tough. There were moments when it felt overwhelming, but we reminded ourselves why we believed in the idea in the first place. Winning felt that much more meaningful because we stuck with it and gave it everything we had.
What was it like working with your mentors?
Aryah: It was amazing working with our mentors, Janet Runge and Nancy Lough. They were incredible through this entire process with letting us know what made sense, if everything looked good, and with continuous support for the entire idea.
Jennifer: We also received feedback from professionals from Vegas professional sports teams, including Nate Ewell, Vice President of Business Communication for the Golden Knights, who gave us insight into how our concept could resonate within the pro sports industry. That outside perspective was a game-changer for us.
Did a lot change with your proposal between when the competition started and where you ended up?
Aryah: Not much changed in the core concept, which I think speaks to how strong and cohesive our idea was from the start. We stayed true to the mission and consistently improved the model with each round of feedback, but the heart of Fanthropy remained the same.
Jennifer: What stood out most was how much our team improved with each meeting. Every time we came together, we got better at refining our message, making it clearer, more impactful, and easier to understand. It really highlighted the power of simplicity and clarity to make a message more relatable and memorable.
What did you learn from this experience, either as an individual or working as a team?
Aryah: We learned how to work with people who come from very different backgrounds, ages, and communication styles. That diversity brought challenges, but also made our team stronger.
Personally, I gained a deeper appreciation for resilience, time management, and the importance of leaning into your strengths while trusting your team to do the same.
Jennifer: This experience reinforced the importance of meeting deadlines and working as a team. When our team size changed, we had to stay flexible, take on more responsibility, and step up as a leader. It highlighted how strong communication and shared belief in our ideas help overcome challenges. As a graduate student, this experience deepened my understanding of how these skills apply to real-world projects, with the PIC closely mirroring a professional environment where adaptability, collaboration, and time management are key.
How were you feeling before, during, and after the final round?
Aryah: Before the final round, I was a mix of excited and nervous. I felt ready—I loved our idea, I had prepared thoroughly, but I couldn’t help remembering a time as a freshman when I completely bombed a case competition in Indiana out of nerves. That memory stayed with me, but so did the growth since then. I’ve pushed myself to speak publicly in every space I can so I never feel that again. During the presentation, I felt calm and confident, especially with so many people who supported me in the audience. Afterward, I was proud. No matter the outcome, we had left everything on the stage and gave it our best.
Jennifer: Aryah and I kept each other motivated the whole way. We were constantly hyping each other up and giving compliments, which helped keep the energy positive.
What was your reaction when it was announced that your team won?
Aryah: I was overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude. It felt like a huge validation of the late nights, the sacrifices, and the months of work we had put into this. It was a testament to the fact that everything we had put in was truly worth it. Winning both the Grand Prize and the Community Partnership Award was surreal; it meant the judges didn’t just believe in our idea, they believed in our ability to deliver it.
Jennifer: I was overwhelmed in the best way and felt proud and so grateful. We had put so much into this, especially the research, and showed up for each other. When they first called our team name, I actually started clapping, not realizing it was us. Then Aryah walked past me and said, “Jennifer, come on!” That’s when it hit me. It was our team that won.
What’s next for your team?
Aryah: Next, we’re working on securing a trademark with the name Fanthropia, developing the platform infrastructure, putting our nonprofits on the platform, and formalizing partnerships with the sports teams we’ve spoken with. We’re focused on launching our pilot program in Nevada and continuing to build out both our nonprofit and business entities.
Jennifer: We’re open to opportunities and focused on building something meaningful. It’s exciting to see where this could lead.
What would you tell someone who might consider participating in next year’s competition?
Aryah: Consistency and persistence are crucial. This isn’t something you can approach halfway—it takes time, effort, and a deep belief in what you’re building. But if you’re willing to put in the work, this competition will push you, grow you, and open doors you never saw coming.
Jennifer: The real growth came from everything in between, like learning to adapt, communicate, and trust the process, which was advice I heard throughout. As a grad student working alongside undergrads, I wasn’t sure how it would go at first, but the mix of perspectives and experiences was one of our biggest strengths. The diversity on our team challenged me in the best way and helped me grow personally and professionally. If you believe in your idea and put in the effort, this experience will push you, shape you, and connect you with people who truly want to succeed.
