APLU Names Six Public Universities as Finalists for 2025 Innovation & Economic Prosperity Awards

Washington, DC – The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) today named six universities as finalists for its 13th annual Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) Awards.

The winners will be announced during the association’s annual meeting in November. The finalists – the University of California, Los Angeles, Clemson University, University of Georgia, University of Maryland, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and West Virginia University – are competing for different awards that recognize exemplary and innovative case studies of economic engagement impact:

• The IEP Talent Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives in education and workforce development.
   
• The IEP Place Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives resulting in social, cultural, or community development.
   
• The IEP Innovation Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives spurring innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology-based economic development.

All universities are finalists for the IEP Economic Engagement Connections Award, which is the top prize in the awards competition, recognizing overall excellence across all three award categories.

“Congratulations to our 2025 IEP Award finalists,” said APLU President Waded Cruzado. “Public research universities are major drivers of economic development in communities, states, and regions. We’re excited to recognize the excellent work of our IEP Award finalists in meeting workforce needs, advancing community and economic development, and fueling pathbreaking innovation.”

To be eligible for an IEP award, an institution must first earn the IEP designation from APLU, which recognizes institutional commitment to regional economic development. To earn the IEP designation, universities conduct a rigorous self-study of their economic engagement activities that includes input from external stakeholders. As part of the self-study, each institution identifies areas for growth and improvement within its economic engagement enterprise. This work demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning and improvement in this kind of engagement vital to universities and their regional partners.

Ninety institutions have been named IEP Designees since the program was launched in 2012.

More information on the finalists’ economic engagement initiatives is below.

University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is opening doors to talent development across the state and region through continuing and professional education. To address a national shortage of skilled medical assistants, UCLA launched its Medical Assistant Program in 2017 as a joint program between UCLA Extension and its medical system, UCLA Health. The program provides a pathway for students to learn valuable skills and transition seamlessly into allied health careers by integrating rigorous academic coursework with real-world clinical experience. Nearly 200 students have completed the program since it launched, with 100 percent of graduates passing the National Certified Medical Assistant exam. The university also launched UCLAxCareerBridge, a program to prepare adult learners for in-demand careers in early childhood education, data science, and substance use disorder counseling. The program, launched by UCLA Extension in 2020, uses state funding to remove the financial barriers of tuition and books, while providing additional supportive services such as a dedicated student success coach. Each certificate program covers a specialized field and provides the educational background needed to attain employment and career pathways for advancement.  

Clemson University 
Clemson University is fueling economic development in South Carolina and nationally through innovative partnerships with industry that address academics, research, and workforce development. The Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) supports the automotive sector and serves as a magnet for manufacturers and R&D centers, while stimulating regional growth to industries beyond mobility, including energy, defense, and advanced materials. Launched in 2006, CU-ICAR has attracted 21 industry partners to establish operations at the 250-acre research park in Greenville, SC. In 2017, Clemson University opened the Center for Human Genetics (CHG) in Greenwood, South Carolina to fuel biomedical innovation in the state and beyond. Sponsored in part by a National Institutes of Health Center of Biomedical Research Excellence grant, CHG advances understanding of the principles by which genetic and environmental factors determine and predict both healthy traits and susceptibility to disease in humans. In collaboration with industry and clinical partners, the CHG has created a life sciences hub for the region. To spur business creation closer to Clemson University’s main campus, the newly established Brook T. Smith Launchpad has become the de facto nexus of entrepreneurial activity for the university and wider Clemson community, educating founders and building connections for growing start-up companies. Each of these initiatives underscores Clemson’s land grant mission and commitment to regional economic development. 

University of Georgia 
With a commitment to statewide impact, the University of Georgia (UGA) is empowering local communities through collaborations that support economic and community development. In 2013, UGA launched the Renaissance Strategic Visioning and Planning Program to help Georgia communities revitalize their downtowns through public engagement, design-based planning, and implementation support. Each plan is shaped through collaboration with UGA faculty and staff who work directly with local governments, residents, and community stakeholders to develop roadmaps for revitalization. Twenty-five towns have completed plans through the program, generating over $500 million in public and private investment across Georgia. Results include parks, housing, civic spaces, infrastructure, and development reflecting local needs. Further supporting communities across the state, UGA’s Archway Partnership embeds faculty in select communities to connect experiential learning opportunities for students in support of locally identified needs. Over 100 projects were completed last year, ranging from murals to healthcare and housing. UGA’s Community Branding Program helps local governments tell their stories, promote local assets, and boost economic development. The branding process follows a three-step approach grounded in research, public input, design, and implementation. It begins by gathering stories, and aspirations through listening sessions and surveys. To date, the program has partnered with 16 communities.  

University of Maryland  
The University of Maryland (UMD) is advancing the innovation landscape in two key areas: community and quantum. UMD leads the statewide Maryland Innovation Extension effort to expand access to entrepreneurial training and resources by partnering with HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions, including Bowie State, Morgan State, Coppin State, and the University of Baltimore. The program provides: I-Corps Customer Discovery Short Courses to provide training in lean startup methodology and customer validation; startup fundamentals workshops; and entrepreneurs-in-residence, as well as experienced startup founders who mentor faculty, staff, and students. The program has helped create new ventures, hosted hundreds of workshops, and developed a stronger, more interconnected statewide innovation infrastructure. Drawing on its longstanding leadership in quantum computing, UMD helped launch the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance (MQA), a coalition of academic, small businesses, industry leaders, nonprofit, and government partners dedicated to supporting quantum innovation and talent development in the region. UMD’s Discovery District will be the home of a new quantum benchmarking hub supported by up to $100 million in matching funds from both the state and the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. More than a dozen quantum companies have been selected to participate and UMD’s Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS) will serve as a major partner in the initiative.    

University of Tennessee, Knoxville   
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville has promoted innovation and regional development and addressed pressing challenges facing the state. UTK’s Research Park combines the university’s resources with partnerships with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and other institutions to advance research and economic impact; the Park hosts 15 industry partners and 800 employees adjacent to the main university campus. The research park also hosts Spark Innovation Center – which supports, attracts, and retains the nation’s most promising technology startups by providing access to top-quality lab space, mentoring, prototyping resources, and sources of early-stage capital. The center has served 50 companies that have collectively created 196 jobs and raised $138 million. Seventy-seven percent of startups served continue to have an active presence in East Tennessee in 2025. UTK has also rallied researchers to address community challenges. Faculty and students from a variety of disciplines worked together to design and build a bridge equipped with fiber-reinforced polymer and fiber optic sensors to monitor stresses. An engineering team created InnoCrate to introduce fibers and composites to K-12 students and address workforce needs, and faculty and students from seven UTK colleges have contributed to the Tennessee RiverLine, a 1.2-million-acre system along the Tennessee River.  

West Virginia University 
West Virginia University leverages its unique assets to drive economic development across the state. To help communities stay competitive and secure public and private grant funding for growth, WVU established the West Virginia Grants Resource Centers with Marshall University. This free service has supported 87 projects in all 55 West Virginia counties, securing nearly $44 million in grants and upskilling nearly 7,000 individuals through training and outreach efforts. WVU strengthened the state’s workforce through Ascend West Virginia, the nation’s first multi-location remote worker attraction and retention program. The program offers financial incentives, free outdoor gear rentals, curated social experiences, access to coworking space, and a peer cohort to help newcomers build roots in West Virginia. First Ascent WV builds on this model by retaining recent graduates through mentorships, professional development, career support, and social programming. The programs have drawn nearly 65,000 applicants, relocated 951 new residents, and kept 60 graduates in the state, boasting a 97% retention rate. Notably, 38% of participants have purchased homes. The Mon Forest Towns Partnership has also attracted millions in private, state, and federal funding to enhance infrastructure and trail development connecting 12 gateway communities to the Monongahela National Forest. This initiative drives sustainable economic growth by positioning the region as a unified tourism and recreation destination.