Featured Stories
Western New England University: Summer Innovation Fellowship Teams Explore the Future of FinTech
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts, July 21 -- Western New England University issued the following news:
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Summer Innovation Fellowship Teams Explore the Future of FinTech
Several startup teams participating in the 2026 Summer Innovation Fellowship are developing innovative financial technology solutions designed to make financial services more accessible, intelligent, and inclusive. Their ventures demonstrate how emerging technologies can address real-world challenges in investing, creditworthiness, and economic opportunity.
"These startups demonstrate how entrepreneurship and technology can come
... Show Full Article
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts, July 21 -- Western New England University issued the following news:
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Summer Innovation Fellowship Teams Explore the Future of FinTech
Several startup teams participating in the 2026 Summer Innovation Fellowship are developing innovative financial technology solutions designed to make financial services more accessible, intelligent, and inclusive. Their ventures demonstrate how emerging technologies can address real-world challenges in investing, creditworthiness, and economic opportunity.
"These startups demonstrate how entrepreneurship and technology can cometogether to create meaningful impact," said Charles Mutigwe, professor of business and entrepreneurship. "From improving investment intelligence to helping individuals establish financial credibility, these teams are tackling challenges that affect millions of people and are helping shape the future of fintech."
One of the teams, Divault, is building a cloud intelligence platform that transforms alternative data from multiple sources, such as IoT devices and industrial robots into real-time financial intelligence. Developed by Diwash Lamichhane of Springfield College and Puja Kharel of Cottey College in Missouri, the platform utilizes artificial intelligence to help investors and asset managers make more informed decisions by analyzing complex datasets and providing persistent memory capabilities that improve insights over time.
Another venture with fintech implications is Photic, led by Syeda Nabeera Suhail and Naresh Chethala, both students at Western New England University. The startup addresses a significant barrier faced by many individuals: establishing creditworthiness. Rather than relying solely on traditional credit histories, Photic creates a verifiable scoring system for people who may not have access to conventional credit-building opportunities. The company works with nonprofits, recovery programs, community organizations, and social workers who can validate an individual's progress and reliability, helping create new pathways to financial inclusion.
The fellowship also highlights how technology can support financial well-being in everyday life. Kodu, developed by Adolfo Mata of Western New England University alongside international entrepreneurs John Rincon and David Alejandro Reyes both from the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia has created a verified student-to-student campus delivery platform. The service enables students to earn income while helping fellow students save money, illustrating how digital platforms can generate economic opportunities within campus communities.
Together, these ventures showcase the growing intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and financial services. By addressing challenges ranging from investment intelligence to credit accessibility and peer-to-peer economic participation, Summer Innovation Fellowship participants are demonstrating how innovative thinking can shape the future of financial technology while creating meaningful social impact.
Western New England University is grateful to MassMutual and Country Bank for sponsoring the Summer Innovation Fellowship that is now in its third year.
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Original text here: https://wne.edu/news/2026/07/Fintech-summer-innovation
University of Miami Issues Q&A on Rightward Political Shift Across Latin America
CORAL GABLES, Florida, July 21 -- The University of Miami issued the following Q&A on July 20, 2026, involving John Twichell, program director of Latin American studies and senior lecturer in the College of Arts and Sciences:
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Is Latin America shifting toward the right?
John Twichell, director of Latin American Studies at the University of Miami, offers his insights into the issue.
By Barbara Gutierrez, bgutierrez@miami.edu
The leaders range from El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, who has ruled that country with an iron fist, especially in his crackdown on gang violence, to Javier
... Show Full Article
CORAL GABLES, Florida, July 21 -- The University of Miami issued the following Q&A on July 20, 2026, involving John Twichell, program director of Latin American studies and senior lecturer in the College of Arts and Sciences:
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Is Latin America shifting toward the right?
John Twichell, director of Latin American Studies at the University of Miami, offers his insights into the issue.
By Barbara Gutierrez, bgutierrez@miami.edu
The leaders range from El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, who has ruled that country with an iron fist, especially in his crackdown on gang violence, to JavierMilei, Argentina's anti-establishment president, who has promised to dismantle the elite class and improve the country's economy.
Both right-wing presidents are part of a trend in Central and Latin America: the region has undergone an apparent swing to the right in recent years. As of today, 12 countries in the region have turned to the right, including Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Peru.
What has caused this shift?
John Twichell, program director of Latin American Studies and senior lecturer in the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences, shares his thoughts about this change. Twichell regularly offers undergraduate courses in analysis of Latin American, Caribbean, and inter-American politics in the Department of Political Science and the interdisciplinary program in Latin American Studies.
What kind of signal does the recent win of right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella in Colombia send to the world?
President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella's razor-thin victory in last month's runoff election in Colombia represents not only Latin America's but the world's latest example of the emergence of a populist outsider candidate who went on to win on a campaign platform that tapped into voter discontent with establishment politicians and parties while offering quick, in some cases militarized, solutions to festering problems like crime, violence, inflation, joblessness, and economic inequality. Those who win these close contests effectively leverage simplistic messaging and tropes like "communism" that they instantly communicate through artificial intelligence, digital media, and telecommunications to influence public opinion and voting.
This signals to incumbent parties increasing pressures to more effectively defend and communicate their record of performance to voters who otherwise seek quick fixes to these hard-to-solve societal problems, for example, resurgent violence tied to a languishing peace process in the case of Colombia. In general, narrow electoral victories by outsider populist candidates with autocratic tendencies are a reminder of the importance of voter turnout in a democratic election and how it is that an entire country's political future is often determined by just a few thousand votes in a polarized environment, as we've just seen not only in Colombia but also in Peru.
It is evident that there is a growing shift to the right in most of Latin America. What is driving this?
While it may appear that way, the region is not moving in a rightward direction in lockstep, with Mexico and Uruguay representative cases of the left's continued hold on power. The upcoming election in Brazil will be an important indicator of whether we are in fact witnessing a growing shift to the right. What we are witnessing is less of an overall rightward ideological shift among Latin American voters than the effects of years of persistence in political party fragmentation, dealignment, and political polarization. In cases like Peru and President-elect Keiko Fujimori, who, admittedly, is not a political outsider (far from it), crowded first-round elections yield second-round candidates with a weak plurality and, as in Colombia, another narrow right-wing victory over the left influenced by political polarization. Whether or not such cases, in contrast to Chile's President Jose Antonio Kast's decisive second-round victory against the left last November, spell an overall rightward shift in Latin American politics remains an open question.
Is the current rightward turn a rejection of specific left-wing leaders and policies, or does it reflect a deeper ideological change among Latin American voters?
The consensus among political analysts is that post-pandemic Latin American voters have set aside ideology in favor of pragmatism. Faced with everyday human security challenges, which have become dire and immediate, among them extortion, femicide, food insecurity, and human trafficking, voters are desperate to see their governments address these types of public security threats. When outsider populist presidential candidates who happen to be right-wing campaign to end such cycles of public insecurity, promising to emulate Nayib Bukele's militarized policies in El Salvador, frustrated voters are lured in by such siren calls. Yet it is an unsettling trend because it suggests a greater willingness among Latin American voters to transactionally trade generations of hard-fought gains in civil, human, political, and social rights for economic and public security.
How does the recent shift compare with previous political cycles in Latin America, and what does it suggest about the future direction of democracy and governance in the region? What kind of platforms do these candidates provide to the populace--crime prevention, a better economy?
The new right wing in Latin America is symptomatic of an autocratic trend in world politics, which has been ascendant as the 21st century has been unfolding, as the United States and China--the two great powers in international relations--negotiate the terms of their relationship and, by extension, redefine international order. Whereas the 1990s in Latin America were defined by the influence of uncontested U.S. interests and ideals in what is known as the post-Cold War "peace dividend" period, when the left was finally able to begin to compete in and win democratic elections, and the subsequent post-neoliberal, commodities-boom-driven "Pink Tide" of the 2000s propelled the left to gain forms of dominance regionwide, Latin American politics today is much different. While in nearly all cases elections are regularly held, the regional diffusion effects of growing autocratic tendencies among political leaders ever more willing to disregard the values of liberal democracy still espoused, although not as capably, by the international community--case in point, Venezuela--make forced migration and refugees a major domestic policy challenge in neighboring countries that the right wing has seized upon as an electoral platform strategy. Organized crime and the continuing drug trade, and the associated violence, which left-leaning governments, including the outgoing Gustavo Petro government in Colombia, have failed to address despite promises to do so, means that the left is ceding power to the right by way of the ballot box more and more often in today's Latin America.
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Original text here: https://news.miami.edu/stories/2026/07/is-latin-america-shifting-toward-the-right.html
Susquehanna University: Computer Science Takes Flight in Bird Conservation Effort
SELINSGROVE, Pennsylvania, July 21 -- Susquehanna University posted the following news:
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Computer science takes flight in bird conservation effort
Computer science and environmental science may seem worlds apart, but at Susquehanna University, one project is showing how closely connected they can be.
Students and faculty from Susquehanna are collaborating with the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeeper to create a digital platform designed to support bird conservation research. It will organizeeverything from bird sightings to audio recordings that are currently being collected via electronic
... Show Full Article
SELINSGROVE, Pennsylvania, July 21 -- Susquehanna University posted the following news:
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Computer science takes flight in bird conservation effort
Computer science and environmental science may seem worlds apart, but at Susquehanna University, one project is showing how closely connected they can be.
Students and faculty from Susquehanna are collaborating with the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeeper to create a digital platform designed to support bird conservation research. It will organizeeverything from bird sightings to audio recordings that are currently being collected via electronicmonitoring stations placed along local creeks and the Susquehanna River.
Anusha Veluswamy, assistant professor of math & computer science at Susquehanna University, and two of her students are building the platform using digital tools from BirdNET, an open-source research and bioacoustics platform developed by CornellLab. They are also linking a third-party database from the BirdWeather platform.
The new platform will allow Susquehanna and the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper to track how bird species populations change over time, creating a centralized system for long-term environmental analysis. Users will have access to a dashboard in the fall. At the center of this effort is computer science, which is helping transform scattered observations into meaningful environmental data.
"In simple terms, we are building the technology that turns individual bird observations and recordings into a coordinated, organized conservation effort," said Veluswamy. "The goal is to make it easier for researchers, students and the community to understand what is happening in our local ecosystems and to use that information to support environmental health."
Ibrahim Alqassass '28 and Jaylon Lewis '28, both computer science majors, recently joined the development team. Alqassass interned with the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association last year and was immediately interested in joining the initiative.
"My work is primarily focused on building the user interface for our website in coordination with my co-worker, Jaylon," Alqassass explained. "Currently, I am transitioning the user interface from a static design into a fully functional website. This includes developing role-based user dashboards, a function that will allow individuals to view specific bird sightings filtered by their chosen time periods."
The project reveals how essential technology is to modern conservation work.
"Environmental research today generates too much information to manage by hand," Veluswamy said. "Computer science helps bring order to that information, connect the pieces together and make it useful for long-term conservation planning."
One of the biggest challenges for Lewis has been learning the programming languages he needs to create the platform.
"We're working with a lot of different languages that I've never used before so there's a learning curve," Lewis said. "The biggest reward has been learning a new programming language and then applying it to the project and seeing the benefits."
Another challenge is managing the wide range of data collected. Audio recordings gathered from monitoring stations often contain much more than bird calls, including wind, flowing water, insects and distant traffic. Veluswamy and her students must also organize volunteer-submitted sightings, species records and conservation information while ensuring everything remains accurate and connected within the system.
"Real-world environmental data is rarely neat or perfectly organized," Veluswamy said. "The challenge is bringing structure, accuracy and clarity to a large and complex collection of sounds, observations and conservation records."
The work highlights the growing importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Environmental scientists provide expertise on ecosystems, migration patterns and species behavior, while computer scientists develop systems capable of storing, organizing and analyzing large amounts of information.
"Computer science allows us to look at the bigger picture. It turns individual observations into long-term trends. It highlights changes that develop slowly and might otherwise go unnoticed," Veluswamy said. "By organizing and analyzing environmental information on a scale, technology helps reveal insights that support better conservation decisions and a deeper understanding of ecosystem health."
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Original text here: https://www.susqu.edu/computer-science-takes-flight-in-bird-conservation-effort/
Oklahoma State: Three CEHS Students Honored as Wentz Research Scholars for the Upcoming Academic Year
STILLWATER, Oklahoma, July 21 -- Oklahoma State University issued the following news:
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Three CEHS students honored as Wentz Research Scholars for the upcoming academic year
Representing the College of Education and Human Sciences' commitment to cutting-edge research are three students who were named 2026-27 Wentz Research Scholars.
Being a Wentz Research Scholar is a prestigious honor awarded to about 40 students across the entire university. The program is funded by the Lew Wentz Foundation and administered by Oklahoma State University's Henry Bellmon Office of Scholar Development and
... Show Full Article
STILLWATER, Oklahoma, July 21 -- Oklahoma State University issued the following news:
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Three CEHS students honored as Wentz Research Scholars for the upcoming academic year
Representing the College of Education and Human Sciences' commitment to cutting-edge research are three students who were named 2026-27 Wentz Research Scholars.
Being a Wentz Research Scholar is a prestigious honor awarded to about 40 students across the entire university. The program is funded by the Lew Wentz Foundation and administered by Oklahoma State University's Henry Bellmon Office of Scholar Development andUndergraduate Research. Awardees will receive a $6,000 scholarship to conduct their research project over the course of the next academic year.
Scholars must meet several milestones to maintain the title of Wentz scholar, including submitting a progress report in the fall and completing a final report at the end of the spring 2027 semester. Participants are also required to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, carry 12 credit hours each semester and attend all required program meetings.
Each scholar will present their project and results at the Wentz and Purdie Research Scholars Symposium in April 2027.
Conner Brown
Nursing
Project Title - A Receptor-Targeted Approach to ACTH-Driven Disorders
For Conner Brown, a 20-year-old nursing student from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, research offers an opportunity to bridge scientific discovery and patient care. Brown's project explores a potential new treatment strategy for conditions such as Cushing's disease and ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) syndrome.
Rather than focusing on reducing excess cortisol, which is the primary approach taken by many existing treatments, Brown's research investigates whether a small fragment of ACTH can selectively block the melanocortin 2 receptor, which plays a key role in these disorders. If successful, the research could contribute to the development of therapies that target the underlying cause of ACTH-driven disorders while avoiding effects on related receptors.
"I am motivated by the opportunity to contribute to research that has the potential to improve patient outcomes," Brown said. "Research allows me to satisfy my curiosity, develop my critical thinking skills and contribute to discoveries that have the potential to improve people's lives."
Brown said his previous research experiences sparked a deeper interest in understanding the biological mechanisms behind disease and reinforced his desire to remain involved in research throughout his healthcare career. He plans to begin nursing school this fall and hopes to eventually combine research and clinical practice to provide evidence-based patient care.
Being named a Wentz Research Scholar will allow Brown to pursue independent research while working closely with faculty mentors. The scholarship funding will also help reduce financial pressures, giving him greater flexibility to balance research responsibilities with the demands of nursing school.
Brown is looking forward to presenting his findings at the Wentz and Purdie Research Scholars Symposium in 2027. Earlier this year, he presented earlier findings at Oklahoma Research Day at the Capitol, sharing his work with state lawmakers and university leaders, including OSU President Jim Hess.
Cody Moss
Pre-med - Nutritional Sciences
Project Title - Matcha Supplementation Attenuates High-Fat, High-Sugar Diet-Induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy by Reshaping the Gut Microbiota in Mice
For Cody Moss, research is an opportunity to explore how nutrition can be used as a proactive approach to improving health and preventing disease. A graduate of Stillwater High School and a pre-medical nutritional sciences student, Moss is investigating how compounds found in matcha [tea] may help reduce the negative effects of high-fat, high-sugar diets.
Working in the lab of Dr. Jiyoung Kim, Moss studies the effects of L-theanine, a compound found in green tea, on heart health and the gut microbiome. Using animal models, his research examines whether matcha supplementation can reduce inflammation and limit cardiomyocyte hypertrophy -- an enlargement of heart cells associated with cardiovascular disease.
Early findings suggest the supplement may help improve heart health by altering the composition of gut bacteria and reducing cellular stress caused by poor diets.
"Nutrition is a proactive preventive approach to medicine," Moss said. "Instead of treating symptoms with a pill, there are certain things you can outright prevent, or at least slow or delay progression of, through dietary interventions."
Moss said his research experiences have helped him connect classroom concepts to real-world applications as he prepares for a future career in medicine. As a member of the Cherokee Nation, he is particularly interested in addressing chronic disease and health disparities in Native American communities through nutrition and public health initiatives.
His research accomplishments already include presentations at four research symposia and contributions to four in-progress publications. He also completed a summer internship at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, where he conducted research on sex hormone loss and muscle atrophy, and learned advanced laboratory techniques that he continues to use in his current work.
Moss said being named a Wentz Research Scholar will allow him to continue building on years of research experience while sharing his findings with other professionals to find ways of implementing research and clinical practice. After graduation, he plans to attend medical school and hopes to incorporate nutrition research into his future clinical practice.
Additionally, Moss was also selected as OSU's 2026 institutional nominee for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, one of the nation's most prestigious undergraduate awards in science and research.
"Research really helps connect you more deeply to your degree," Moss said. "It helps you get excited about your field and prepares you for the future."
Grace Tran
Fashion Merchandising
Project Title - Upcycling Fashion: Transforming Fabric Scraps into Luxury Resources
Grace Tran hopes to help reshape how future fashion professionals think about sustainability through her research. Originally from Vietnam and now living in Stillwater, Tran's work focuses on one of the fashion industry's most pressing environmental challenges: textile waste.
Through a paired pre- and post-study, Tran examines whether exposure to professionally upcycled garments can influence fashion students' perceptions of fabric scraps and other discarded materials. By presenting upcycled pieces in a polished and professional way, she hopes to demonstrate that materials often viewed as waste can instead be transformed into valuable design resources.
"What motivates me is the intersection of creativity and sustainability," Tran said. "I have always been passionate about fashion and design, but I truly believe the industry has a responsibility to reduce waste."
Tran advocates for the important role education plays in creating a more sustainable future for fashion. Her research seeks to contribute to a growing conversation about how [academic] exposure to innovative design practices can influence the next generation of designers and industry leaders.
With a projected 2030 graduation, Tran hopes to pursue a career as a fashion designer, incorporating sustainable design principles into her work. Being named a Wentz Research Scholar provides financial support that will allow her to continue her research while focusing on her education and professional development.
Although she admits she is both nervous and excited about presenting her findings at the Wentz and Purdie Research Scholars Symposium, Tran sees the opportunity as a significant milestone in her academic journey.
"This is the first time I have been recognized with such a significant research honor, and it means the world to me," Tran said. "I want to do justice to the work, to the research community and to everyone who has supported me."
-- Story By: Annie Ross, annie.ross@okstate.edu
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Original text here: https://news.okstate.edu/articles/education-human-sciences/2026/three-cehs-students-honored-as-wentz-research-scholars-for-the-upcoming-academic-year
K-State Launches New Training Program for Academic Advisors
MANHATTAN, Kansas, July 21 -- Kansas State University issued the following news:
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K-State launches new training program for academic advisors
Multi-year professional development program helps advisors better support student success
By Morgan Greene, Division of Academic Success and Student Affairs
Academic advisors guide students through their college experience by helping them enroll in courses, navigate degree requirements and plan for post-graduation. They build trusting relationships with students, teach students skills for self-understanding and agency, and adapt their approach to
... Show Full Article
MANHATTAN, Kansas, July 21 -- Kansas State University issued the following news:
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K-State launches new training program for academic advisors
Multi-year professional development program helps advisors better support student success
By Morgan Greene, Division of Academic Success and Student Affairs
Academic advisors guide students through their college experience by helping them enroll in courses, navigate degree requirements and plan for post-graduation. They build trusting relationships with students, teach students skills for self-understanding and agency, and adapt their approach toeach student.
In other words, academic advising goes far beyond checking academic boxes. It's about supporting each student holistically and individually.
Kansas State University has a college-centered advising model, in which each college has a team of professional academic advisors reporting centrally to the college. Under this model, colleges collaborate with the Division of Academic Success and Student Affairs so that all advisors have common training, use common technology and adhere to a coordinated advising system.
The result? A cohesive advising experience for all Wildcats, regardless of area of study.
"Academic advising is a deeply impactful part of a student's college career," said Pamela Erickson, executive director of academic advising. "At its core, advising stems from the belief that all students have the potential to succeed. That means all students have an advisor who is part of their success team -- someone who is here to help students make meaning of their time at university and stay in their corner through the ups and downs."
Delving deeper into core skills
To ensure consistency in advising experiences, leadership at K-State identified key items that advisors should know, do and value. Communicating those common threads starts on day one.
That's where the new K-State Academic Advisor Training program comes in.
Launched during the 2025-2026 academic year, this multi-year program begins as a required component of a new advisor's first year at K-State and continues as an optional professional development opportunity for all others.
"The KAAT program is designed to support advisors in the critical work they do," said Ashley Blake, advisor training administrator. "In ADV 101 and ADV 102, new advisors are equipped with the knowledge, skills, abilities and encouragement to do their work. They take part in case study discussions and peer mentoring to help them develop best practices that align with K-State's advising expectations."
The program continues with several optional courses, designed for continuing advisors to delve deeper into the conceptual and relational components of NACADA's core competencies, aligning with the university's advising expectations.
During the program's inaugural year, 19 new and 13 continuing advisors participated.
Course conversations included informational topics such as academic policy and technology, as well as conceptual and relational topics such as student development theory and building rapport.
"It was an incredibly rewarding experience," said Beth Stuewe, director of online student success and advising and ADV 202 participant. "Connecting with advisors from across campus provided valuable opportunities to share ideas, learn how other approach common challenges, and strengthen relationships across our advising community. Service as a mentor also gave me a greater appreciation for the different ways advisors use shared systems and practices to support student success."
As the program continues into its second academic year, Blake hopes advisors continue to lean into the experience.
"Last year was energizing," said Blake. "The amount of knowledge and experience in our advising community is vast, but we don't always have the opportunity to connect and learn from or alongside others across campus. That's been a highlight for everyone so far! Leaning into professional development is a university expectation, and the KAAT program is one we hope all advisors will agree is worthwhile."
A core component of KAAT is a peer mentoring model, in which continuing advisors in ADV 202 are paired with new advisors from ADV 102.
"The mentoring experience was one of the most rewarding parts of the program," said Austin Drake, academic advisor in the College of Health and Human Sciences and ADV 102 participant. "As a new, professional advisor, I appreciated the opportunity to both learn from and share insights with colleagues across campus. Being paired with an experienced advisor also gave me the opportunity to receive thoughtful feedback on my advising practices and learn strategies to better support student success."
2026-2027 cohorts open for recruitment
New and seasoned academic advisors can now register for the 2026-2027 cohorts of the KAAT program. Asynchronous and workshop-style courses are available, each focusing on best practices, advising concepts and in-depth topics that advisors need to know.
"Our inaugural cohorts took away so much from the experience, and we're excited to welcome the next group of advisors," said Erickson.
Online registration is available now. Interested participants should register by July 31. Questions can be directed to Ashley Blake.
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Original text here: https://www.k-state.edu/news/articles/2026/07/academic-advising-training-program-success.html
Economic Impact Report Sees Southern Oregon University as Key Resource
ASHLAND, Oregon, July 21 -- Southern Oregon University issued the following news:
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Economic impact report sees SOU as key resource
A new economic impact study that measures the financial reach of Oregon's three regional public universities shows that Southern Oregon University has a prominent and growing influence on the prosperity of Jackson County and the Rogue Valley.
SOU's total annual economic impact is $730 million statewide, $532.5 million in southern Oregon and $440.1 million in Jackson County alone, according to the study. The most recent previous economic study of SOU, in 2019,
... Show Full Article
ASHLAND, Oregon, July 21 -- Southern Oregon University issued the following news:
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Economic impact report sees SOU as key resource
A new economic impact study that measures the financial reach of Oregon's three regional public universities shows that Southern Oregon University has a prominent and growing influence on the prosperity of Jackson County and the Rogue Valley.
SOU's total annual economic impact is $730 million statewide, $532.5 million in southern Oregon and $440.1 million in Jackson County alone, according to the study. The most recent previous economic study of SOU, in 2019,found a total impact of $282.5 million in Jackson County but did not measure regional or statewide impact.
The new study shows that the state of Oregon receives a 24X return on its investment in SOU - the university's economic impact of $730 million is more than 24 times the $30.4 million that is appropriated to SOU for operational expenses by the Oregon Legislature.
"It's no surprise to us that SOU is a critically important economic prosperity engine for southern Oregon," SOU President Rick Bailey said. "This study backs up what we already knew and provides a lot of important detail about the scope of that influence and why it is essential that we protect the university's ability to stimulate economic growth on the local, regional and statewide levels."
The study, "The Economic Impact of the Regional Public Universities of Oregon," was conducted this spring by Econsult Solutions, Inc. - a Philadelphia consultancy that specializes in economic, planning and public policy research. It measures and quantifies the economic impacts of SOU, Eastern Oregon University and Western Oregon University - which jointly commissioned the study and together have a total statewide impact of $1.9 billion.
The regional universities support about 10,900 jobs in Oregon, have a combined 78,038 alumni living and working in the state and produce much of the workforce for the largely rural areas they serve - from teachers and healthcare professionals to business leaders, law enforcement officers, counselors, tourism employees and creative industries workers.
"Oregon's regional public universities drive the economies of our communities, and much more," SOU's President Bailey said. "We are sources of knowledge, launching points for innovation, and centers for cultural exploration and expression. We provide leadership and creativity, enabling our regions to be productive and competitive in a quickly evolving and highly dynamic environment."
SOU by itself supports a total of 4,060 direct, indirect and induced jobs statewide, for a total of $202.4 million in annual earnings. Direct jobs are those of the university's employees and vendors, while indirect jobs are those related to subsequent business-to-business transactions. Induced jobs are those supported by the ripple effect of spending by direct and indirect employees.
The economic impact study found that SOU:
* Serves a total of 7,212 students annually, including full-time, part-time, dual-credit and lifelong learners;
* Has a total of more than 675 employees, including student workers;
* Has 26,165 alumni living in Oregon, including 18,473 in the workforce who earn an aggregate annual wage premium of $362.6 million - the amount in additional wages they earn due to their university degrees;
* Has an average of 24,042 campus visitors each year, with student and visitor spending accounting for $108.5 million in annual spending in Jackson County and $157.9 million in southern Oregon;
* Produces capital construction projects that account for about $17.1 million per year in total economic impact and support about 80 full-time jobs;
* Supports local, regional and statewide employers with bachelor's degree earners, about 68% of whom remain to work in Oregon for at least a year after graduation.
Overall, the study found that 74% of freshman students at the three regional public universities come from within Oregon and that 65% of graduates are still working in Oregon a decade after graduation.
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Original text here: https://news.sou.edu/2026/07/economic-impact-report-sees-sou-as-key-resource/
Buffalo State and UNAB renew MOU, highlight importance of creativity education
BUFFALO, New York, July 21 -- Buffalo State University issued the following news release:
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Buffalo State and UNAB renew MOU, highlight importance of creativity education
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Buffalo State's Center for Applied Imagination welcomed Juan Camilo Montoya, rector of Universidad Autonoma de Bucaramanga (UNAB), and alumnus Cesar Guerrero, '16, director of UNAB Creative, for a two-day strategic visit on July 9-10 that culminated in the signing of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions.
Building on nearly a decade of collaboration, the visit included discussions focused
... Show Full Article
BUFFALO, New York, July 21 -- Buffalo State University issued the following news release:
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Buffalo State and UNAB renew MOU, highlight importance of creativity education
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Buffalo State's Center for Applied Imagination welcomed Juan Camilo Montoya, rector of Universidad Autonoma de Bucaramanga (UNAB), and alumnus Cesar Guerrero, '16, director of UNAB Creative, for a two-day strategic visit on July 9-10 that culminated in the signing of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions.
Building on nearly a decade of collaboration, the visit included discussions focusedon expanding joint research, faculty and student engagement, creativity education, micro-credentials, and future international initiatives.
President Jennifer L. Burris, Ph.D. emphasized the importance of creativity education and expressed excitement for "all that our universities will build together in the decade ahead."
"In a world being reshaped by artificial intelligence," Burris said, "creative thinking has never mattered more."
Gerard Puccio, Ph.D., SUNY Distinguished Professor and chair of the Center for Applied Imagination, expressed enthusiasm about the renewed partnership, noting that Guerrero recently contributed a chapter to The Palgrave Handbook of Applied Creativity in Higher Education (2025), which Puccio edited and which highlights UNAB's innovative model of integrating creativity education across undergraduate and graduate programs.
"The conversations over these two days reaffirmed the strength of our partnership," said Puccio. "We are excited about the opportunities ahead, including joint publications, collaborative research, faculty exchanges, and co-hosting international conferences that will continue to advance creativity education on a global scale."
About the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State University
Founded by creative thinking pioneers Alex F. Osborn and Sidney J. Parnes more than half a century ago, the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State stands as the first educational institution in the world to offer graduate-level courses, a master of science in creativity studies, and-beginning in fall 2026-a doctor of professional studies in creativity and change leadership.
Photo by Mark Mulville.
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Original text here: https://suny.buffalostate.edu/news/buffalo-state-and-unab-renew-mou-highlight-importance-creativity-education
