UW-River Falls seeks innovative ways to engage with local businesses

September 12, 2016--With a projected workforce shortage and growing employer needs for an increasingly educated talent pipeline, campus innovation programs are one way the University of Wisconsin-River Falls seeks to address workforce concerns  in Western Wisconsin and actively engage in local economic development.

UW-River Falls Chancellor Dean Van Galen, Dean of the College of Business and Economics Michael Fronmueller, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Dean Dale Gallenberg and Director of the Center for Innovation and Business Development Danielle Campeau and UWRF faculty members Joy Benson, Marina Onken and Hossein Najafi met recently with area business leaders to brainstorm additional ways to partner with and engage with local businesses.

These Innovation Luncheons, held the week of August 22, are one of several steps that UW-River Falls is taking to ensure that certain program offerings meet local business needs, while forging connections that can lead to more internship and post-graduation employment opportunities for students.

Chancellor Van Galen began the program by presenting the campus's already confirmed emphasis on innovation. In 2012, UW-River Falls set as one of the three goals of its strategic plan "innovation and partnerships," defined as "incentivizing and supporting innovation to support student learning, enhance the distinctiveness and stature of the university, and catalyze economic and sustainable community development."

Fronmueller and Campeau then led a discussion on ways in which innovation is being accelerated on campus and identifying actions that can be taken into consideration as UWRF continues cultivating a culture of innovation campus-wide.

"Offering students a safe and supportive environment to explore their ideas cultivates a culture of innovative thinking while enhancing skills sought by employers such as critical thinking and problem solving, communication and working in scenarios of ambiguity," Campeau said.

Attendees were invited to brainstorm ideas on how the local business community and UW-River Falls can forge even stronger partnerships and bring about future projects to accelerate innovation both on and off campus. Recent UWRF innovation initiatives which have benefitted from partnership with the local business community include: the Innovation Challenge, which promotes student-led research, business model development and entrepreneurship; the creation of a Makerspace on campus; a Certificate in Innovation program; and leadership involvement with the St. Croix Valley Business Incubator.

For more information or to offer ideas, email danielle.campeau@uwrf.edu or call 715-425-0643.