Kris Kizer '18 (above) says he chose to attend Augustana because of the EDGE Center and CORE.
Community 'loves' Augustana's EDGE Center for web design
In the most recent Locals Love Us poll, Augustana College’s EDGE Center came in at No. 2 for Best Website Design in the Quad Cities. The EDGE Center — short for Entrepreneurial Development through Guided Experiences — is a hands-on learning hub where students provide communications, marketing and creative services to community organizations.
The model benefits students and clients alike.
“In job interviews, EDGE students can show off real projects done for real clients, something very few college students have. This huge advantage gets many of them quick job offers and some even get hired for better jobs than they applied for.”
Students graduate with more than classroom knowledge: they gain experience working with clients, meeting deadlines, collaborating with teams and producing work they can showcase professionally. Small businesses and nonprofit organizations, meanwhile, gain access to affordable creative services that help them build their brands and reach their audiences.
“Our students are solving problems for real clients, responding to feedback and seeing their ideas take shape,” said Doug Tschopp, the center’s director. “The ranking for website design is especially meaningful because it reflects the quality of work our students produce.
“And the fact that any student from any major can work in EDGE sets us apart from other schools with an entrepreneurial center,” he added.
Michelle Quinn ’22, a multimedia journalism and mass communication and communication studies double major, credits Tschopp and EDGE with giving her “opportunities and experiences that I will cherish for life.” Quinn is now a reporter/anchor for WISC News 3 in Madison, Wis.
On her first visit to campus, Celina Rippel ’21 says she knew "the opportunities I would gain in the EDGE Center would prepare me for graduation, and I have to admit, high-school me was right.” She majored in business administration and graphic design.
Rippel is now the development manager at the Humane Society of Scott County, where she builds relationships with donors, sponsors and grant funders; writes proposals; coordinates PR and media stories; and keeps communications engaging and on brand.
The stories of EDGE alumni reflect the lasting impact of their experiences, while the center’s growth can be seen in the numbers.
EDGE opened in 2010 as an expansion of the Augustana Web Guild, a student organization founded in 1998 to provide website development services and ongoing support locally and across the United States. Today, the center has more than 200 clients on annual contract.
Since its original web-development focus, EDGE has expanded to include logos and print materials, event planning, social media marketing and video editing. Each project gives students an opportunity to apply their skills in a professional setting while building their portfolios and résumés.
EDGE by the numbers:
• Community clients since 1998: 600+
• Websites launched (with redesigns) since 1998: 800+
• # of students involved in 2025-2026: 271
• # of student experiences in 2025-2026: 460
“In job interviews, EDGE students can show off real projects done for real clients, something very few college students have,” Tschopp said. “This huge advantage gets many of them quick job offers and some even get hired for better jobs than they applied for.”
For more information, contact Doug Tschopp at 309-794-7426 or dougtschopp@augustana.edu.