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Formed in 2013, the Elon University Downtown Innovation Group (DIG) is a collaboration of university faculty and staff members who join with Burlington Downtown Corporation (BDC) staff to coordinate student projects based in the downtown area. Members are from varying disciplines and meet regularly to strategize ways to engage the University community in downtown. DIG members have led their students in many service-learning projects that have benefited the downtown area, such as assisting with marketing campaigns, communication efforts, market research, and strategic planning. With input from DIG, the BDC created an internship program to provide students with hands-on work experience in a small business setting. DIG members have also coordinated student participation in downtown events. The group’s partnership with the BDC is an essential action item in Elon University’s Civic Action Plan for 2025, demonstrating its strides toward a permanent, reciprocal, relationship between the university and downtown Burlington. The Elon University Downtown Innovation Group is Burlington’s North Carolina Main Street Champion