GAGE Partners
University of Southern Indiana
The University of Southern Indiana played a key role in the formation of GAGE and has since become a partner of the organization, helping improve the entrepreneurial and economic development culture of the region. USI will do this by providing educational programming, access to university resources, and economic development tools.
The university’s involvement with GAGE is an outgrowth of our commitment to provide expanded educational opportunities and outreach in order to fulfill our mission of supporting business growth and job creation,” said M. Edward Jones, Vice Provost for Outreach and Dean of Extended Services at USI.
USI has hired Gene Recker as manager of education and entrepreneurial support. Based at Innovation Pointe, Gene is responsible for maintaining the relationship between USI and GAGE, for ensuring that Innovation Pointe clients have access to university resources, and for the on-site delivery of university programs. He can be reached at garecker@usi.edu or (812) 492-4394.
USI’s Center for Applied Research will work with Innovation Pointe clients to design and implement student internships, faculty applied research, and faculty consulting services.
The College of Business and the centers for Applied Research and Human Resource Development will assist entrepreneurs with the development of business plans and will offer classes on business growth, entrepreneurship, and marketing. The Center for Applied Research will also implement a multiyear innovation and commercialization program that will facilitate innovative business practices, increase our base of innovation assets, and foster commercialization. USI Nearby, the off-campus, credit-course program, will offer undergraduate and graduate courses at Innovation Pointe.
In addition, USI will create a preferred-provider network of professionals to serve as mentors to and professional resources for Innovation Pointe clients. The university will develop assessment tools to identify the entrepreneurial needs of Innovation Pointe’s client businesses and will create an “idea lab” where clients can brainstorm; solve problems; and develop new ideas, products, and services. Relationships with other regional educational institutions will be built to aid in the development of entrepreneurial and business plans, to expand student engagement, and to offer other innovative programs that grow the entrepreneurial and economic development culture of the region.
The partnership between USI and GAGE demonstrates a shared recognition that education and economic development can—and should—be interwoven for greater potential rewards.