College of Business and Economics

Business Resources

Does your organization need assistance with economic impact analysis, customer research, start-up strategies, global expertise, or a new website? Or do you as an individual need help with preparing your income taxes?

The UW-Whitewater College of Business and Economics serves businesses and individuals in the region through a variety of outreach centers that offer faculty and professional staff expertise and employ student interns. Intended to serve the public while giving students applied business experience, these centers provide excellent value to the community.


The Center for Economic Education exists to strengthen the relationship between the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and regional high schools for the training and placement of economics teachers.  The center is also engaged in aiding high school students interested in economics as a major and career.  If you are a high school teacher in need of assistance with lesson plans with economic content or you are a high school student thinking of majoring in economics, the Center for Economic Education can assist you. Find out more about our center services or ask specific questions of Dr. David Bashaw who directs the center.

The Cybersecurity Center for Business at UW-Whitewater is a nationwide initiative aimed at tackling the growing risk of cyber-crime in America’s small business ecosystem. The online center assists businesses in understanding their current risk levels and offers free no-cost training to reduce or eliminate risk. The center is hosted by the College of Business and Economics and is an integral part of the Cybersecurity program that helps in providing guidance and oversight to the faculty and students. The CCB partners with America’s Small Business Development Centers, economic development authorities, chambers of commerce and trade associations. For more information, contact Brian Dennis or Professor L. Roger Yin.

The Fiscal and Economic Research Center helps area businesses, local governmental agencies, and not-for-profit organizations with economic research. If your organization needs help determining the economic impact of an event or activity, or if you need help with land-use planning, public policy analysis, or geographic studies, this center group can assist you. Find out more about center services or ask specific questions of Dr. Russell Kashian, who directs the center.

The aim of the Institute for Nonprofit Management Studies is to encourage research, expand educational opportunities, and grow technical assistance capacity to support the nonprofit sector in the region. The Institute contributes to the College of Business and Economics' nonprofit management studies program in its support of community engagement, student development, and Faculty research. For more information, contact Carol BruntRuth Hansen, or Megan Matthews.

Through a guest speaker series, workshops, certificate programs, job shadowing, day-in-the-field, internships and other activities, the Institute for Sales Excellence creates opportunities for hands-on learning experiences while developing the marketability of our students. The Institute develops strong collaborations between faculty and businesses, offering opportunities for professional development, faculty internships, and scholarly/practitioner research. The Institute serves as a regional resource for businesses and organizations by providing graduates, business training, and networking opportunities. If you have questions regarding the Institute for Sales Excellence, please contact Dr. Jimmy Peltier.

The Institute for Water Business serves as the home to Integrated Science Business-Water BBA Majors, Water Business Minors, and the UW-Whitewater Water Council for the purposes of academic advising, co-curricular engagement, and outreach.

The Wisconsin Small Business Development Center at UW-Whitewater is part of a statewide network supporting entrepreneurs and business owners through no-cost, confidential consulting and targeted educational programs. Local SBDC experts facilitate improvement and growth for small and emerging mid-size companies and help launch successful enterprises. The Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Whitewater is hosted by the College of Business and Economics. The Wisconsin SBDC Network is a proud part of the Institute for Business and Entrepreneurship in the University of Wisconsin System. It is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Contact the UW-SBDC office at 262.472.3217 or ask-sbdc@uww.edu.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Launch Pad is a premier university student start-up accelerator. The Launch Pad mission is to educate, inspire and accelerate entrepreneurial growth for University of Wisconsin-Whitewater students. Launch Pad Scholars receive start-up training, coaching, round-tables, access to start-up resources, space at the world-class Whitewater Innovation Center, the option to take Launch Pad for independent study credit and more. If you have any questions regarding the Launch Pad program, please contact either of the Launch Pad Directors:  Dr. William Dougan or Dave Gee.

The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater provides free tax preparation and free electronic filing of federal and state tax returns for taxpayers with low to moderate levels of income. Staffed by IRS-certified student preparers and supervised by accounting faculty, this annual program offers important hands-on experience for students while helping members of the community. Read more about the program or email the VITA Site Coordinator.

Housed in the UW-Whitewater College of Business and Economics, the Wisconsin Center for Information Technology Services (Wi-CITS) focuses on providing IT services to regional non-profits and small businesses, while giving students real-world experience. The center also works on student organization and other campus related projects as well. Targeted work includes website design and development, software design and development and IT consulting (e.g., gaining value from your web presence, search engine optimization, security, and database). The center utilizes the outstanding students and faculty from our IT and business programs. For more information, contact Associate Dean Paul Ambrose.

Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC) market research and analysis informs key business and product development decisions for clients in Wisconsin and throughout the United States. The center connects small businesses, entrepreneurs, and inventors with the resources of the College of Business and Economics through expert consulting and customized projects completed by university student research analysts and digital marketing specialists. WISC projects help clients assess market feasibility, identify opportunities for diversification and growth, learn about customer characteristics and preferences, better understand the competitive landscape, and chart a clear path for marketing success. Entrepreneurs, business owners, and inventors looking for insights and action plans for marketing their products and services can learn more at uww.edu/wisc or contact WISC at (262) 472-1365 or innovate@uww.edu.