EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University announced today that it is bringing a world-leading social media company to mid-Michigan in a new research and development partnership with INgage Networks. INgage develops enterprise social media solutions to help companies, nonprofits and governments collaborate online.
INgage Networks will occupy space on campus near researchers. Their collaboration will produce online social media solutions to challenges faced by government, corporate and nonprofit organizations, while equipping participants to engage in the global knowledge economy.
An INgage research and development office will open in the Communication Arts and Sciences building, with initial plans for creating 24 high-tech jobs. Several joint projects already are under way to leverage online collaborations throughout the state to create jobs, retain workers and ‘green’ Michigan.
"This partnership combines the world-class strengths of our faculty and students in enterprise social media and other sciences, plus the global reach of Michigan State University, with the industry leading strengths of INgage Networks to define and build a 21st-century economy in Michigan and beyond,” said MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon.
The partnership was a natural fit because of the college’s leadership in studying social behaviors associated with social media applications, INgage Networks CEO Kim Patrick Kobza added.
“Online collaboration offers organizations a cost-effective, new approach to problem solving and innovation,” Kobza said. “As a leading research university, MSU brings the knowledge and expertise that is needed to guide the advancement of social media, and we are privileged to be selected as their partner in this global endeavor.”
Pamela Whitten, dean of the MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences, calls the partnership a wonderful opportunity for the college to expand its social media research and outreach.
“The partnership with INgage Networks will significantly enhance the great work we already do every day in the social media arena,” Whitten said. “From research to consulting to teaching, we have a partner committed to working with MSU to cross new frontiers in the online world that are critical to economic and social development.”
MSU Extension will be an early beneficiary of the collaboration. New technology tools are under development to connect residents in every corner of Michigan with programs driving economic development and quality of life. Campus-specific applications also are being developed to further engage the MSU community.
The MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences is one of the largest and most respected communication colleges nationwide. The college has a No. 1 ranking from the National Communication Association in educating researchers in the rapidly growing field of communication technology, which includes social networking.
To learn more about this partnership, visit www.ingagenetworks.com/michigan.
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Established in 1999, INgage Networks (formerly Neighborhood America) provides award-winning enterprise social software and services that enables organizations to collaborate online with their networks of employees, customers and partners to gain real-time intelligence. The company's SaaS solution ELAvate, voted the software industry’s “Best Social Networking Solution,” includes a mobile marketing application, advanced analytics and Social CRM integration to drive actionable results. Visit www.ingagenetworks.com.
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Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving.