= Engaging with Regional and Local Economic Development Efforts =
<span style="font-size:large;"</span><span style="font-size: small;">One of SPC's main goals is to assist in the economic development of the surrounding area. In 2008 SPC commissioned Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. to do a study trying to find the socioeconomic impact of SPC on the surrounding areas. The results were very promising, with SPC stimulating the economy by about 2.3% of the total income. However, these results stem mainly from student spending and employment of former students in the area. If our students were to create a lasting impact on the community through innovative ideas and products, the stimulation of the economy by SPC would increase substantially.</span>
Below is the Landscape Canvas for Texas Tech University, a campus that we at SPC are partnering with. Looking at their system, though it's not perfect, would give good insight on what we can do to improve our own culture of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, so we can have a working landscape canvas ourselves. Lets make it our goal to bring I&E to SPC by the end of 2016, and give our future fellows and students something to work with.