U News | ETSU, Citizens Bank and LaPorte family launch two new Student Managed Investment Funds
Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business announces new student competition designed to spark creative business ventures powered by AI.
From East Tennessee State University:
East Tennessee State University (ETSU) students are about to get their hands on something many college students only dream of: real money to invest and markets to navigate. It is through a newly announced partnership between ETSU’s College of Business and Technology and Citizens Bank that will provide ETSU students with expanded, hands-on experience managing investment portfolios.
The new agreement with the Citizens Bank Tri-Cities Foundation and the LaPorte family will allow ETSU’s Center for the Study of Finance to receive funding for two new Student Managed Investment Funds known as “The Citizens Bank Fund” and “The LaPorte Fund.”
This support will allow students to actively manage a portion of the foundation’s assets.
“We are excited to participate with ETSU, and it’s an opportunity for the students that mirrors the work of professional investment managers,” said Chairman Joe LaPorte of Citizens Bank.
“When we established the ETSU Center for the Study of Finance, one of the goals was to create new educational opportunities for students that would help them gain real-world experience in areas that would accelerate them into future careers,” said Dr. Tony Pittarese, Dean of the college. “This partnership with Citizens is a great example of the Center partnering with local businesses to advance their organizational goals and ours in a way that makes a meaningful difference.”
From Clemson University:
Clemson University has unveiled Deep Orange 16, a next-generation, semi-autonomous vehicle designed to transform emergency response in extreme conditions.
Developed by graduate automotive engineering students in the university’s Deep Orange program, the vehicle merges advanced technology with mission-critical functionality to enhance the speed, safety, and efficiency of rescue operations.
It is sponsored by the Virtual Prototyping of Autonomy-Enabled Ground Systems (VIPR-GS) Research Center and developed in collaboration with the U.S. Army and other strategic partners. Deep Orange 16 is engineered to tackle some of the toughest challenges in high-risk rescue scenarios—reducing response time while limiting the number of personnel needed in the field.
Deep Orange 16 was inspired by the real-world challenges faced during Hurricane Helene, and the Deep Orange 16 team engineered the vehicle to support critical disaster response efforts. On its outbound journey, the vehicle can deliver a full pallet of emergency supplies to affected areas. For the return trip, the vehicle operates autonomously—transporting up to six individuals, including injured passengers, to safety.
Capable of reaching the scene within the “golden hour,” the vehicle also generates a high-resolution digital terrain map for the autonomous return, allowing the original driver to remain on-site and assist ongoing rescue efforts.
From Vanderbilt University:
Vanderbilt University announced that the New York State Attorney General has granted the approval necessary to close on the lease of its new campus in New York City. The approval is an important milestone in the agreement between Vanderbilt and the General Theological Seminary that enables Vanderbilt to operate on the historic block in the heart of the Chelsea neighborhood.
“We’re grateful for the attorney general’s approval and the recognition of what Vanderbilt can uniquely contribute to higher education in New York,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “A substantial presence in New York City will allow us to create new opportunities for our students, faculty, and alumni in one of the most dynamic cities in the world. It will also enable us to foster deeper collaboration with the city’s unparalleled industries and cultural institutions. We could not be more enthusiastic about the possibilities, and the attorney general’s approval puts us a significant step closer to making them a reality.”
The university is exploring academic and nonacademic initiatives on the campus. The next major regulatory milestone for Vanderbilt is receiving approval from the New York Board of Regents through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to provide academic programming on the campus. Vanderbilt has submitted a proposal for NYSED review that includes an undergraduate study away program, which could be for one semester or part of a summer session, and a one-year master’s program. The NYSED application for academic programming was submitted by the Office of the Provost with input from a faculty advisory committee and faculty and deans across the schools and colleges.
From Mississippi State University:
Mississippi State University’s (MSU) College of Business is offering a new major in entrepreneurship, educating students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences to launch their own ventures or bring innovative thinking to existing organizations.
The new program builds on the college’s long-standing commitment to entrepreneurship education. For many years, MSU has offered courses in Entrepreneurship, Experiential Innovation and Entrepreneurship (formerly Field Studies in Entrepreneurship), and Family Business Management. The new major adds new core courses like Creativity and Innovation and the capstone Business Venture Creation, providing a strong academic foundation for aspiring entrepreneurs.
“Many students come to Mississippi State with a plan to start something big,” said College of Business Dean Scott Grawe. “Some of these big things are new businesses, and some are new paths within existing organizations. Our new entrepreneurship major provides the knowledge to succeed on either path.”
From the University of Chicago:
The University of Chicago is strengthening its offering in entrepreneurial education with the launch of its Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor, available to undergraduate students beginning in the 2025–26 academic year.
The new minor — developed in a partnership between the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Chicago Booth, and the College — represents a step forward in preparing students to think creatively and solve real-world problems no matter the industry or discipline. This is the first undergraduate minor ever offered by Chicago Booth, and it opens the door for students across disciplines to gain practical, hands-on experience in building ventures and driving innovation.
“The new minor reflects our belief that an entrepreneurial mindset is not just for business students, but for every student who wants to make an impact in the world,” said Samir Mayekar, Managing Director of the Polsky Center. “By blending rigorous academic training with real-world problem solving, we’re giving undergraduate students all the tools they need to bring their ideas to life.”
From Baylor University:
Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business has announced the launch of a groundbreaking student competition designed to spark creative business ventures powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
The AI Venture Challenge invites undergraduate students enrolled at Baylor to team up and pitch bold, tech-driven solutions to real consumer problems. The competition seeks to uncover the next generation of entrepreneurs who can integrate AI tools such as chatbots, facial recognition, and digital assistants into viable business ideas that meet market demand.
“We set out to design an experience for students at the crossroads of innovation, entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence,” said David M. Szymanski, The William E. Crenshaw Endowed Dean of the Hankamer School of Business. “This competition is not just about the tech; it’s about using it purposefully. We want students to think critically and creatively about how AI can drive real-world value in a competitive setting not seen in any other institution in the United States.”
The format of the competition will take place over two rounds: Teams of one to three students will submit an online executive summary submission. Those making the cut to the next round will give an in-person pitch presentation to a panel of leading executives. Cash prizes totaling $5,000 will be given to the top three finishers.
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