HARRISBURG, PA — Ursinus College has been named the winner of the 2025 Direct Effect™ Innovation Challenge, a statewide competition that draws on the marketing talent of Pennsylvania’s college students. The annual event, hosted by America250PA, tasks student teams with designing integrated marketing campaigns that address real-world challenges. This year’s theme — “Miles of Impact: America’s First Superhighway” — centered on telling the story of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and its legacy of mobility, commerce, and innovation.
Ursinus topped a field of five institutions, outperforming teams from Rosemont College, Westmoreland County Community College, Penn State Altoona, and Cairn University. Industry professionals served as judges during a three-round competition that concluded with an in-person final at the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex.
America250PA Executive Director Cassandra Coleman said the challenge embodies the creativity and commitment of the Commonwealth’s future workforce. She noted that working directly with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission gives students the opportunity to engage with a major statewide institution through applied strategy and design.
Turnpike Commission CEO Mark Compton praised the students’ work, calling their campaigns bold and forward-looking. He said the ideas presented highlight new ways the Turnpike can connect with communities as it plans for the next era of transportation and public engagement.
The competition, now in its seventh year, is supported by a network of statewide partners, including the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania. The 2025 event was presented in partnership with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
America250PA will host its final Direct Effect™ Innovation Challenge in 2026 as part of preparations for the United States Semiquincentennial. The organization is charged with coordinating Pennsylvania’s role in the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, guided by themes that aim to educate, preserve, innovate, and celebrate the Commonwealth’s history.
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