In the first round of its “Smart Cities – Smart Futures” competition, Foxconn Technology Group awarded funding to two members of the Carthage community.

Recent graduate Erin Magennis ’18 and staff member Joan Volmut were among the recipients honored during a ceremony the College hosted Dec. 13 in the Todd Wehr Center.

Carthage recipients Joan Volmut (left) and Erin Magennis ’18 (right) hold a symbolic check as two of the initial winners of funding in Foxconn Technology Group’s “Smart Cities – Smart Futures” competition. The recipients were recognized in a ceremony Dec. 13 at the Todd Wehr Center.Foxconn pledged to distribute up to $1 million over three years to faculty, staff, and students from colleges and universities across Wisconsin whose ideas use technology to address challenges. The company is building a massive manufacturing complex in nearby Racine County that will produce LCD displays for applications such as self-driving cars and aircraft systems.

Judges from the higher education and private sectors selected the first-round winners from a pool of 325 submissions. Each recipient gets $500, with the possibility of up to $5,000 in additional funding in subsequent rounds.

Ms. Magennis made the cut with a wearable bracelet and connected app she designed to help people manage anxiety. The idea for the product, called CalmLet, took shape in an internship during her time at Carthage, and she continues to develop it as a full-time entrepreneur.

Ms. Volmut, receptionist and visit coordinator in the Office of Admissions, has secured multiple patents for the Reema Stain Finder mobile application. Designed to store photos and descriptions of clothing stains until the user is ready to treat them, the app potentially could transmit the data to a “smart” washing machine.

In his welcome remarks at the recognition ceremony, President John Swallow highlighted a few of Carthage’s own tech initiatives — including the mapping projects students do for community clients in the Applied Projects in Geographic Information Science course that Professor Wenjie Sun teaches each spring.

Foxconn executive Alan Yeung followed at the podium, kicking off the second round in the competition. The initial winners can submit a short video, an essay, and other supporting materials to apply for awards of $1,500.