IU Kelley School Helps Hundreds With HOPE Digital Project
Indianapolis-based boutique winery Sip & Share Wines was assisted with a new website as part of the IU Kelley School of Business HOPE Digital Project. (photo courtesy of Indiana University)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana University Kelley School of Business says it has helped more than 360 small businesses and public organizations around the state through the Kelley HOPE Digital Project. Since May, IU has been working to provide no-cost assistance to organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project, which is in partnership with the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and the Indiana Small Business Development Centers, was designed to help small businesses and community organizations establish or increase their online presence and improve digital capabilities.
Each project was led by a student team, giving work experience to hundreds of students and alumni while internships and employment were limited over the summer. IU says the Kelley School awarded eligible students with scholarships for their work on the project.
The university says half of the organizations it has assisted have been owned by women and more than 27,000 hours have been spent on relief projects.
“This team of students exceeded expectations,” said Kristi Upchurch, executive director of Project Access Howard County, an organization assisted by the program. “People can now register for events such as our annual diabetic walk through our website. This saves time and money in addition to more efficiency. We are very appreciative of all the excellent work they provided.”
IU says the program will continue in the spring and is seeking financial support to fund the scholarships.