Montevallo Stephens College of Business Community Partnership Earns Statewide Recognition

October 9, 2026

A community partnership led in part by the University of Montevallo’s Michael E. Stephens College of Business has earned statewide recognition for its work to strengthen businesses, entrepreneurs and organizations throughout Montevallo and surrounding communities.

Montevallo Main Street was recently recognized with three statewide Awards of Excellence from Main Street Alabama during the organization’s 2026 Summit of Excellence in Enterprise, Alabama. Among the initiatives recognized was Business Basics, a continuing professional development workshop series organized through a collaboration between the Stephens College of Business, Montevallo Main Street and the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce.

The recognition highlights not only the success of the program, but also the University’s commitment to using its academic resources and faculty expertise to create meaningful impact beyond campus.

Business Basics connects UM faculty, alumni and staff with small business owners, nonprofit leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs and community members for practical and applicable workshops addressing needs and challenges many organizations commonly face. Sessions have covered topics such as marketing, accounting, budgeting, human resources, technology, data analytics, legal issues, customer experience, sales, artificial intelligence, social media and conflict resolution.

Through the series, the Stephens College of Business has helped bring university-level business expertise directly to the people and organizations that contribute to the economic health of the community.

“This recognition is a wonderful example of what we mean when we talk about societal impact,” said Dr. Sara Robicheaux, dean of the Michael E. Stephens College of Business. “Our responsibility as a College of Business extends beyond educating the students in our classrooms. We also have an opportunity to share the knowledge and expertise of our faculty in ways that strengthen businesses, support entrepreneurs and help our surrounding communities thrive. Business Basics demonstrates what can happen when a university and its community partners work together toward a common goal.”

The Business Basics series began as an effort to provide accessible professional development specifically tailored to the needs of the local business community. Each workshop is designed to provide information, strategies and tools participants can immediately apply within their own businesses and organizations.

The program also reflects the value of collaboration. Montevallo Main Street and the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce help identify community needs, connect the program with local businesses and organizations, and promote participation, while the Stephens College coordinates educational programming and brings faculty expertise to the sessions.

Now in its second year, Business Basics has seen attendance increase by 20% this year. The collaboration has also led to additional opportunities for local business leaders to interact with the Stephens College of Business through events such as Speed Networking.

“We are so fortunate to have the University of Montevallo in our city,” said Courtney Bennett, executive director of Montevallo Main Street. “The Stephens College of Business has been a wonderful partner to Main Street and our friends at the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce, actively seeking ways to get more involved with our local business community. With so much expertise right here in our town, we are grateful for the opportunity to invite our local entrepreneurs to learn new things that will strengthen their businesses.”

For the 2027 series, organizers are working to incorporate Spanish-speaking presenters, translation support or a combination of both to make the programs more accessible to a broader audience.

The statewide recognition of Business Basics reinforces the important role the University of Montevallo and the Stephens College of Business play as community partners and resources for businesses throughout Montevallo, Shelby County and the surrounding region.