Purpose
This Business Fellows project used an interdisciplinary team of students to study the technology infrastructure in East Central Indiana.  Ten undergraduate students assessed the e-commerce and technology market and investigated the potential for new and expanding Internet and digital-based economies in the region.  Work included interviews with business leaders and authorities in the technology field, as well as research and tours of regional technology hubs.

Action
The students on the project worked directly with the local Economic Development Alliance to attract companies to the City of Muncie and Delaware County.  This consisted of researching industries currently in high demand, and developing a plan that will be used to attract those companies to the local area.

Results
The team has prepared a detailed research proposal that consists of a location analysis and a plan to attract high demand industries to the City of Muncie and Delaware County.  Along with the proposal, the team has produced a documentary that will be used as marketing material for attracting companies to this area.  This documentary will be displayed on the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance Web site.  The following local community leaders were interviewed for this documentary:

• Jim Riggle, AEP Community Relations Manager
• Sharon McShurley, City of Muncie Mayor
• Mike Lunsford, Coldwell Banker Lunsford President & CEO
• Kelly Stanley, Cardinal Health Systems President & CEO
• Bill Gosnell, Delaware County Emergency Management Agency Director
• Dr. Steve Jones, Center of Communication and Information Sciences Director
• Barbara Street, Alliance for Strategic Growth President & CEO
• Elizabeth Rowray, Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance Vice President for Technology Advancement

Faculty Mentor
Fred Kitchens, Department of Information Systems and Operations Management

Partners
Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce; Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance

Students
Brittina Adams; Allyson Covington; Jeffrey Davis; Kyle Hayden; Andrew Luebbehusen; Luther Selby; Heath Shanahan; Kyle Smithson; Samuel Vonderau; Yi Zheng