UW-Eau Claire is finalist for global award for entrepreneurship, engagement

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is one of five international finalists — and the only one from North America — for a global award for entrepreneurship and engagement in higher education.

UW-Eau Claire is a finalist in the Global Engaged University of the Year category of the Triple E Awards presented by the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities headquartered in Muenster, Germany. The organization, which will host its awards ceremonies June 26-29 in Barcelona, Spain, recognizes efforts by universities around the world to foster change and emphasize their role in their communities and ecosystems.

In addition to being a finalist in the Global Engaged University of the Year category, community members may vote for UW-Eau Claire for the People’s Choice Awards until June 25. People may vote on the Triple E Awards website or by engaging with social media posts on Twitter and LinkedIn. Find voting details and hashtags on the Triple E Awards site.

“Being recognized as a finalist for this award, and the only finalist from North America, reaffirms UW-Eau Claire’s leadership in establishing innovative, mutually beneficial partnerships,” says Dr. Mike Carney, assistant chancellor for strategic partnerships and program development. “It also underscores our commitment to leveraging these partnerships to address societal challenges and positively impact the region we serve.”

UW-Eau Claire has a rich history of community engagement and collaboration exemplified by the $700 million in collaboratively funded facilities projects over the past decade. The spirit is best illustrated by UW-Eau Claire’s transformational collaboration with Mayo Clinic Health System since 2017, as the entities share a common vision and mission in their commitment to finding joint solutions to pressing health care issues.

The collaboration with Mayo Clinic Health System provided UW-Eau Claire with the foundation to develop a workforce innovation initiative that creates solutions to economic, health care and workforce challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. In 2022, the initiative received a $9.4 million grant from the state of Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to help provide immediate, medium and long-term solutions to economic and workforce challenges in rural communities.