Amcor and USI Partner on Student-Led Packaging Innovation

Pilot program pairs USI students with Amcor experts to design real-world packaging solutions.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Amcor, a global leader in responsible packaging solutions, has announced a partnership with the University of Southern Indiana (USI) to launch a semester-long internship program. The pilot project will unite USI students and faculty with Amcor professionals to co-create practical packaging concepts that address real industry needs. The initiative aims to provide students with experiential learning and career development opportunities while also tapping into fresh thinking to develop innovative packaging solutions for Amcor's customers.

Why it matters

This partnership demonstrates how companies can collaborate with universities to drive innovation and support the development of the future workforce. By bringing complex industry challenges to the campus, Amcor is able to leverage the collective talent of USI's students, faculty, and applied research resources to ideate and refine new packaging solutions. This type of industry-university collaboration benefits both organizations, strengthening the regional talent pipeline and supporting the development of forward-thinking solutions.

The details

The pilot program, coordinated through USI's Center for Applied Research, will have seven student participants supported by four faculty mentors as well as industry experts from Amcor. The students, representing various disciplines including engineering, manufacturing technology, occupational therapy, economics, marketing, and art and design, will work together to build a business case, value proposition, and proof of concept for a specific packaging solution. Throughout the process, the students will regularly meet with Amcor specialists in product development, design, marketing, portfolio management, and sustainability to ideate and refine their concepts, with Amcor leaders also reviewing the final projects and providing feedback.

  • The pilot program will take place during the Spring 2026 semester.

The players

Amcor

A global leader in developing and producing responsible consumer packaging and dispensing solutions across a variety of materials for nutrition, health, beauty and wellness categories.

University of Southern Indiana (USI)

A public university that serves as an innovation engine for businesses throughout the region, providing students, faculty, and applied research resources to address complex industry challenges.

Steven J. Bridges

The president of the University of Southern Indiana.

Bill Norman

The Amcor Rigid Packaging Solutions North America President.

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What they’re saying

“As a public University, USI serves as an innovation engine for businesses throughout our region. This partnership with Amcor demonstrates how external companies, large and small, can bring complex challenges to our campus and tap into the collective talent of our students, faculty and applied research resources. It's a powerful example of how USI helps our community grow, innovate and succeed.”

— Steven J. Bridges, President, University of Southern Indiana (Mirage News)

“At Amcor, we are continuously seeking fresh thinking to develop the best packaging innovations for our customers and consumers. This partnership allows us to do that while also supporting the workforce of tomorrow in the greater Evansville area.”

— Bill Norman, Amcor Rigid Packaging Solutions North America President (Mirage News)

What’s next

The pilot program is expected to benefit both Amcor and USI beyond the initial course, as the partnership strengthens the regional talent pipeline and supports the development of innovative packaging solutions.

The takeaway

This industry-university collaboration demonstrates the power of bringing complex business challenges to a university setting, where the collective talent of students, faculty, and applied research resources can be leveraged to drive innovation and support the development of the future workforce.