The James S. Kemper Foundation recently awarded a $125,000 three-year grant to La Salle University. The funds will be used to further develop the internship and corporate mentoring components of the university's e-Commerce Institute's Student Fellows Program.

Rather than offering the e-commerce program as a separate degree or minor, the university's e-Commerce Institute is open to any La Salle student. "E-commerce is already a big part of the economy and it's growing," said Paul Brazina, executive director of the Institute and assistant professor of accounting at La Salle. "Online services and information are exploding, and people in all walks of life are going to need to understand how electronic commerce works."

Students enrolled in the program build a portfolio of e-commerce studies, research and work experience. They have an option of completing approved courses that deal with e-commerce or attending lectures by experts in the field. In addition to this work, students must complete a research paper and spend 40 hours as an intern or in a co-op position. Brazina plans to use the Kemper Foundation grant to expand and enhance the students' professional activity portion of the program.

Dr. Thomas Hellie, executive director of the James S. Kemper Foundation said, "I am impressed by La Salle University's commitment to innovation and experimental learning, and I believe that this project can develop new career opportunities for La Salle students."

La Salle University, established in 1863, has four campuses in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. They educate approximately 5,600 students in their undergraduate and graduate programs.