UE's College of Business & Engineering Lecture Series to Highlight Positive Community Impacts

Evansville, IN (04/06/2023) — The University of Evansville's (UE) College of Business & Engineering is proud to continue its Lecture Series which will highlight how institutional research and class engagement are making a positive impact on society. The upcoming Lecture Series is set to take place on April 11.

Associate Professor of Accounting and Mead Johnson Nutrition Endowed Chair in Business Dr. Rania Mousa will discuss what financial inclusion means in a post COVID-19 world during her presentation Reimagining Financial Inclusion in the Post COVID-19 World: The Case for Grameen America. Dr. Mousa identified and analyzed the key initiatives implemented by Grameen America in alleviating the financial hardships of its underserved female members, thereby contributing to the attainment of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Her paper has been published in the International Journal of Ethics and Systems. Dr. Mousa is also a recipient of the UE 2022-2023 Global Scholar Award and has presented her research at the Sustainable and Socially Responsible Finance Conference held at the Yunus Social Business Center at the University of Bologna in Italy.

Following Dr. Mousa's presentation, Dr. Beverly Brockman, Schroeder Family Dean, College of Business & Engineering and Dr. Chris Brockman, Professor of Finance, and Director of the Institute for Banking & Finance will present on the unique barriers confronting entrepreneurs in low-income communities. Their presentation A Managerial Perspective on Underbanked Entrepreneurs: Barriers to Lending and Community Partnership Solutions will highlight how the process of acquiring debt capital in the United States remains challenging, especially for low-income entrepreneurs. The authors will identify barriers to financial lending and present community-based partnership solutions to improve access to capital for underbanked entrepreneurs. Their research was published in the Journal of Economics and Finance Education.

Dr. Chris Brockman will then follow up with his presentation on Loan Opportunities through the UE Microloan Program. The UE Microloan Program is an experiential student-run program administered by the Institute for Banking and Finance in UE's Schroeder School of Business. Advisors for the Southwest Indiana Small Business Development Center serve as executive mentors for microloan participants, with funding for the program provided by Old National Bank.

The School of Business' dedication to promoting continuous learning will be further reinforced through these presentations. The Speaker Series is provided to highlight essential and emerging issues in business and engineering. It serves as outreach to the community and alumni as a form of engagement. Previously in the 2022-2023 academic year, the College of Business and Engineering hosted three Speaker Series Events.

Both in person and zoom options will be provided. For additional information on the event and how to register, please click here.