Center for Data Science and AI Driving Innovation Through Education, Community Engagement
March 05, 2025ALLIANCE – Launched in the Fall of 2024, the University of Mount Union's Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence is committed to education and community engagement in emerging and rapidly evolving fields of technology.
One of the Center's first initiatives has been to promote faculty development in artificial intelligence. More than 20 faculty members have participated in training sessions and workshops jointly hosted with the University's Center for Faculty Development with the goal of integrating meaningful, discipline-specific applications of AI into courses and academic programs.
"The objective is to help our students see how AI is transforming their field so they can enter the workforce using AI appropriately and effectively—and as a tool rather than a crutch," said Dr. Colin Campbell, associate professor of physics and data science at Mount Union.
Campbell working with a student in a data science course
The Center is also actively engaging with the local business community. Along with the University's School of Business, the Center welcomed the Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce for three meetings designed to provide local businesses with insights into what AI is, how it can enhance efficiency and drive growth, and opportunities for continued and expanded partnerships between the University and regional businesses.
The objective is to help our students see how AI is transforming their field so they can enter the workforce using AI appropriately and effectively—and as a tool rather than a crutch.
"Alliance businesses are the key to experiential learning in the School of Business. They provide real-world challenges and opportunities for innovation and serve as the foundation for future business leaders to learn, grow, and give back," said Dr. Amber Hunt, associate professor of finance and director of the School of Business at Mount Union.
“AI represents an opportunity for our members to be more innovative and strengthen our local economy. We’re very fortunate to have the University of Mount Union right here in Alliance training the next generation of AI professionals,” said Faye Roller, vice president of marketing and development for the Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce. “It will be a vital asset to the business community. The future is being built on AI, and those who participate will help shape it.”
"Hands-on learning is fundamental to the Mount Union experience, and we're very excited to facilitate internships and faculty-supervised projects with partners near and far," said Campbell.
We’re very fortunate to have the University of Mount Union right here in Alliance training the next generation of AI professionals.
Collaborative work is also occurring within the Mount Union community, including a collaborative project between the Center and the School of Education. Mount Union quadruple major Emily Owens '27 is developing a tool that will streamline the process by which pre-service teachers in the School of Education are paired with mentor teachers in area schools for field experiences.
Owens '27 presents research at the 2025 Ohio Celebration of Women in Computing (OCWiC) Conference.
"Prior to student teaching during their senior year, pre-service education students spend a lot of time in PreK through 12 classrooms learning from mentor teachers. Pairing our students with mentors has always been a game of chance," said Kim Brueck, coordinator of PreK-12 partnerships in Mount Union’s School of Education. "With Emily's tool, we expect to increase the effectiveness of these pairings along a continuum of teacher development by aligning mentors' perceived strengths with our students' areas of need."
Learn more about Mount Union's programs in data science and artificial intelligence by visiting mountunion.edu/data-science and mountunion.edu/ai, respectively. Those interested in collaborating with the Center for Data Science and AI can reach out to Campbell at campbeco@mountunion.edu.