A student from the Environmental Stewardship class at McPherson College teaches local elementary school students how to play the EcoPyramid game. The game was one of the projects that received a Horizon Fund Grant.
For over a decade, McPherson College has supported student entrepreneurship by awarding mini-grants that help students develop innovative solutions to everyday challenges. With more than 300 grants awarded to date, the college recently announced the newest recipients of the Horizon Fund Grants.
This spring, the Horizon Fund granted six projects ranging from a game to teach elementary students about ecosystems to an affordable recording studio. The individual grants range from $100 to $500, and students can reapply for continued funding of existing Horizon Fund Grant projects.
Abbey Archer-Rierson, chief of staff and head of the entrepreneurship program at McPherson College, said, “The Horizon Fund Grant is just one of many ways McPherson College demonstrates its commitment to entrepreneurship and supports entrepreneurial students on our campus. The grants have supported a variety of wildly creative ideas, and this most recent round of funding is no exception.”
Recipients of the spring 2025 Horizon Fund Grants are:
Fabian Camacho, elementary education, Liberal, Kan. – build an ofrenda (a traditional altar to honor deceased loved ones) for Dia de Los Muertos – “It is more of a goal to build community among students and bring people together. Though it’s a Mexican holiday, everybody can contribute to it.”
Canon Cavanaugh, history, secondary education, Hutchinson, Kan. – affordable recording studio – “I’m meeting the community’s need for art, the artists’ need to express themselves, and the general need for bands to have affordable material they can play.”
Environmental Stewardship Students – Wyatt Conklin, Summer Dorn, Amanda Goering, Grant Harned, Ty Kraemer, Breckyn Porter – EcoPyramid demo decks for testing in local classrooms – “There are plenty of games that are inspired by nature or based on the concepts of ecology and conservation. The flexibility of EcoPyramid to be fast paced enough to be played in a classroom setting, but variable and strategic enough to be played by older players over and over, makes the game unique and well-suited for the edutainment industry.”
Elijah Leck, health science, McPherson, Kan. – ceramics/pottery studio – “I have found great pleasure, satisfaction, and learning experiences in working with clay, and I think others could too. I want to help others who need some sort of physical output and might discover how working with clay can be a healthy practice.”
Ryhan Lucas, biology and Spanish minor, Shawnee, Kan. – study abroad to learn more about creating a non-profit organization that addresses health issues – “I want to develop a non-profit organization that offers low-cost medical services from physicians and mental health professionals who understand the cultural stressors that minority populations often experience.”
Malia Pfeiff, elementary and special education and communication minor, Moundridge, Kan. – special education and life skill supplies for a local classroom – “I have seen first-hand the impact this can have on teachers and students. As someone going into education and working as a paraeducator at Eisenhower Elementary School, I see the need for updated supplies and a wider variety of supplies.”