2023 Spirit of Innovation

Amanda Coffman

The 2023 Spirit of Innovation Award was awarded to Amanda Coffman, coordinator of administrative operations at Wright State University–Lake Campus.

Coffman started out at the Lake Campus as a student, student worker and student athlete. She is credited for her exceptional dedication, character and spirit of innovation.

In her current role, colleagues have described her as the “definition of student-centered” and “the glue that holds us together.”

“Amanda goes above and beyond on every project here at the Lake Campus,” said Andrea Faber, Ph.D., vice provost and chief administrative officer of the Lake Campus. “She collaborates with the campus leadership and manages a variety of projects across the campus, demonstrating a commitment for continuous improvement and always looking for ways to improve the experiences of our students.”

One of Coffman’s more notable accomplishments is implementing the Summer Sendoff Passport, which made its debut this past spring. This program is similar to the Passport of Involvement at the Dayton Campus in which the goal is to compile and categorize of all the events happening on campus and encourage students to participate in a certain number of events from each category. Students who successfully completed the program received a Lake Campus T-shirt.

“We offer a lot of events on campus, and this was a great way to present them to students in a way that was more streamlined and user-friendly,” said Gretchen Rentz, director of student affairs at the Lake Campus. “It didn’t just focus on campus programs. We also brought in local vendors and organizations. It was a lot of fun.”

In every role that Coffman has had at the Lake Campus, she takes a bit of what she has learned and applies it to her next innovative idea. She never hesitates to help in any way that she can, from the minute details such as set up and tear down at events to actively checking in with students.