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App to help students understand the impact of student loans wins WiSys APPStart Idea Challenge

LA CROSSE—The “Student Loan Predictor” app idea contributed by UW-La Crosse Associate Professor of Mathematics Whitney George Dregne won the inaugural WiSys APPStart Idea Challenge.

The contest, open to all UW-La Crosse faculty, staff, students and alumni, aims to connect great ideas with the expertise and resources necessary to launch them commercially. As the winner that emerged from 40 ideas submitted, Dregne receives a prize package totaling more than $10,000 in cash and services.

Dregne, who is interested in student-centered teaching strategies, said the idea for the Student Loan Predictor app came directly from the classroom.

“I began teaching a new liberal arts general education mathematics course titled ‘Mathematics for Decision Making’ at the UW-La Crosse in Fall 2017,” Dregne said. “It became clear that students lack financial literacy, especially when it comes to student loans.”

This led Dregne to develop educational materials devoted to helping students understand the impact that their student loans will play on their financial future. These materials were a precursor to the app, said Dregne.

Dregne received business development support from the UW-La Crosse Innovation Lab and the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the UW-La Crosse and app prototype development support from UW-Parkside’s App Factory.

The App Factory, a key partner in the APPStart Idea Challenge, is a new creative, professional, interdisciplinary group on campus that develops mobile apps for community clients throughout southeastern Wisconsin.

Dregne discussed the app idea and the process of developing it through the APPStart Idea Challenge at WSTS, WiSys’ two-day celebration of research and innovation at UW-Stout in July.

WiSys hopes to continue the success of the APPStart Idea Challenge in the coming years, potentially expanding it to other schools in UW System.

WiSys is a nonprofit organization that works with faculty, staff, students and alumni of the UW System to facilitate cutting-edge research programs, develop and commercialize discoveries, and foster a spirit of innovative and entrepreneurial thinking across the state.