College Of Business Lands Future Ready Oregon Workforce Grant
The Pacific University College of Business has received a $525,000 grant from the State of Oregon to support an innovative data analytics program that partners Pacific students with local businesses.
The Future Ready Oregon Technology Workforce Ready Grant, awarded through the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, is one of 62 awards presented statewide to projects designed to recruit and retain a diverse workforce in the fields of healthcare, manufacturing and technology. Pacific was one of just two private universities to be awarded a grant.
The College of Business’ award will fund the “Empowering Communities Through Student Leadership & Technology Integration,” program. The 18-month program will involve student-led teams assessing website and social media platforms, providing analytic insights for business growth.
“This grant is a powerful testament to our commitment to bridging academic excellence with meaningful hands-on experience,” said Jennifer Yruegas ’96, dean of the College of Business. “Students participating in this program will gain unparalleled opportunities to hone their skills in real-world contexts, enhancing their employability while making meaningful contributions to their communities.”
The project will involve three to five teams of three undergraduate students each semester. In partnership with Birdee Media, a Latinx-owned and operated marketing firm based in Hillsboro, the teams will work to provide evaluation of the success of websites and social media platforms, providing a thorough assessment of customer-facing platforms to clients.
Frank Roth, executive director for career readiness for the College of Business, said that the experiential learning opportunity equips students with essential technical and digital skills, boosting their post-graduation employment prospects.
“This initiative brings together the college’s diverse and talented students to partner with local small businesses, enabling our students to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape,” Roth said.
The Workforce Ready Grants are part of HECC’s Future Ready Oregon initiative, a $200 million investment in education and training to advance a more equitable workforce system and increase opportunities for diverse workers funded in 2022 by the Oregon Legislature. The part awarded to the College of Business of final round of grants in the program, which awarded $42 million in grants statewide.