Ithaca College

Colton Shoenberger, a sophomore math and economics double major, is bringing the New Economy Campus Summit to Ithaca College on April 20. Sponsored by the National Economics Institute, similar summits will be at 8-10 other colleges and universities across the country.

The summit will feature a keynote speaker and panel discussions that focus on revitalizing the downtown Ithaca Commons, cooperative businesses, and local banking, financing, and currency. The last discussion will look into the viability of Ithaca Hours, the local currency accepted at many retailers in town. Speakers will range from college professors to local business owners to leaders in economics.

William Kolberg, associate professor and chair of the Department of Economics, recommended Shoenberger for the summit proposal and will be involved with the event in April. He said the summit will focus on many local issues that students can benefit from learning about. In terms of the first discussion point on the revitalization of the downtown Ithaca Commons, he said, “Traditionally, IC has had a very strong presence and connection with downtown Ithaca, so it’s kind of neat to be looking for ways to strengthen that relationship.”

The all-day summit is free and open to community members and students from Ithaca College, Cornell University, and Tompkins Cortland Community College.

To read more about Colton's story, click here.
 

This article was written by Conor Harrington ’13