Our Work
Research, partnerships, and project support are just a few ways we're making an impact.
Speaker Series
Free and open to the public, we aim to give our community the chance to explore all points of view on issues of the day. We offer a forum for the campus and community to hear from renowned experts and understand multiple perspectives through civil, informed, and fruitful discourse.
Economics Education
As part of our mission to serve the community, we provide educators in WNC with professional development opportunities and in-classroom resources to help them teach financial and economics education to the next generation of scholars.
NC Data Dashboard
Our new, online information tool designed to provide easy access to recent economic trends in the counties of Western North Carolina and across the entire state to everyone from community-minded residents and college students conducting research to industry and business executives exploring possible locations for expansion.
COVID-19 Impact and Recovery
Through CSFE’s Faculty Affiliate Program, our faculty and students worked all 2020-21, and with this series of events we connected their work with our audiences: academic, policy, and community members. Their work provided workable ideas and vital insight at the intersection of health, well-being, and economic policy analysis.
Supported Research and Issue Briefs
In support of our mission to provide economics research and thought leadership focused on issues in economic development in our region, we sponsor students, faculty and community members in their scholarly pursuits. Through scholarly inquiry and policy analysis, we hope to fulfill our desire to be an interdisciplinary forum that supports Western Carolina University faculty, students, and community members to exchange ideas, engage in mutual outreach, and collaborate on applied research.
Upcoming Events
Previous Events
Introducing CSFE’s Human Progress Research Initiative, and Calling 21-22 Faculty & Student Affiliates
What counts as economic progress in our region? That question is near and dear to so many, especially as we all continue adapting to pandemic disruptions. So, this year CSFE is launching a year-long research project combining different perspectives from various...
Advisory Board meeting set for Wednesday December 09
CSFE's Advisory Board will hold its Fall 2020 meeting virtually on December 9, 2:00-3:30 p.m. As a university center in the UNC System, CSFE is governed by University of North Carolina Policy 400.5[R] and by the Center's bylaws which were adopted in 2017. The Advisory...
In The News
Broadband investment would mean billions to NC, but there’s a holdup: Utility poles
To be included in today’s digital world, all North Carolinians need access to reliable, high-speed broadband. Yet, today nearly 472,000 in our state – primarily in rural communities – remain without broadband access, limiting their options to work, learn, pray,...
Our New Annual Report, 2020-21
Check out our new annual report, just released today! In the summer of 2020, as we sat down amidst those uncertain times to hash out plans for the 2020-21 academic year, I wrote the following vision statement for the Center: We produce high-impact research in three...
Recap and Video of “Helping the Community Helps Your Campus”
As summer settles in, we invite you to check out the recap (below) and video of our May 19 event, "Helping the Community Helps Your Campus: New and Replicable Ways Two University Centers are Impacting Their Communities." Craig Richardson and I are co-presenters. We...