University Of North Alabama Named As Finalist For University Economic Development Association (ueda) 2016 Awards Of Excellence
Aug. 23, 2016
Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033
Bryan Rachal, University Communications
FLORENCE, Ala. - The finalists for the University Economic Development Association (UEDA) 2016 Awards of Excellence were announced last week and the University of North Alabama has made the list.
Each year, universities and organizations across North America submit nominations for innovative programs that focus on developing economic prosperity in their communities and beyond. UNA's Shoals Shift, developed in the College of Business, was among the 20 programs selected by a panel of university and economic development professionals.
"We're thrilled to be selected as a finalist," said Dr. Greg Carnes, UNA College of Business dean. "We pride ourselves on offering our students the full experience, and being named a UEDA finalist is just another example of that. We know that our students will compete well, but it's also important for them to see the impact they can have on their community or region, even as students," he said.
The UEDA awards are designed to help accelerate these programs by recognizing cutting edge initiatives, and to promote their adoption by other universities and communities. Program categories include: Innovation, Talent, and Place, as well as the intersections of these three categories.
The Finalists will be judged during the UEDA's Annual Summit(#UEDASummit), which takes place Oct. 16-19, 2016, in Roanoke, Virginia. Criteria for judging include initiative replicability, scalability, sustainability, impact, and originality.
The University of North Alabama was a finalist in the Innovation + Talent section of the awards. A full list of finalists can be found here: http://universityeda.org/university-economic-development-association-ueda-selects-finalists-for-2016-awards-of-excellence/
"For the past several years, UEDA has encouraged higher education institutions to think more comprehensively about how economic development and engagement activities connect to each other and to an institution's core mission activities," said Tim Hindes, UEDA executive director. "These finalists represent model programs driving regional growth in their perspective regions."
The theme for this year's summit is "It Takes a Region: Talent + Innovation + Place." The agenda includes such topics as The Power of Community Partnerships in Funding Workforce Development Initiatives; A Holistic View of Higher Education's Role in Community Engagement and Economic Development; A Holistic View of Higher Education's Role in Community Engagement and Economic Development; Merging Dynamic Interests of Universities and Communities; and much more.
For more information on the UEDA: http://universityeda.org/
For more information on the UNA College of Business: https://www.una.edu/business/
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs through the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Human Sciences, and Nursing. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Tuscumbia, Sheffield and Muscle Shoals. UNA also operates a renowned collegiate athletic program in NCAA Division II's Gulf South Conference. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age or national origin.
About The University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: una.edu and una.edu/unaworks/.