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EDUCATION - May 2004
I see a Kentucky that has an appreciation of its rich history and high hopes for an even brighter future. I see a Kentucky determined to raise the bar of expectations in its public schools. I see a Kentucky with great public and private colleges and universities and a Commonwealth committed to postsecondary education reforms. I see a Kentucky with a second-to-none work ethic among its citizens. I see a Kentucky where young people need only an opportunity to prove that they can compete with the best students out there nationwide. I see a Kentucky working overtime to attract the quality jobs that make a difference in individual lives and communities. I see a Kentucky that, more and more, is gaining national attention for all the right reasons. I see a Kentucky poised to take giant leaps in enhancing the quality of life for all her citizens. And that’s what it’s all about for all of us, whether we’re in higher education, commerce or community development. Similarities between Kentucky and Mississippi have been noted through the years. Both are states with a high degree of poverty and low educational attainment levels. Both are states in transition from an agrarian- and manufacturing-based economy to one built on information and technology. Last year, a group was organized in Mississippi to develop a strategy for a 20-year investment in higher education that would lead to accelerated economic development. The group’s report cited three significant trends. Trend No. 1: The nation as a whole is shifting away from manufacturing toward knowledge- and technology-based industries. Trend two: There is an increasing movement of manufacturing jobs out of the country. And trend three: Leading-edge manufacturers, such as those represented in the automotive industry, are employing advanced technologies that require higher skill levels. Does all this sound familiar to Kentucky? Of course, it does. The same is happening here. Two other states, Oregon and Oklahoma, are overcoming similar obstacles. Oregon has adopted an innovative strategy that views existing workers, higher education and K-12 as one seamless, integrated system. This strategy emphasizes promoting knowledge-based skills from the earliest stages in their K-12 system. Its priorities, in order, are to: (1) Immediately enhance the skill level of the current workforce; (2) support higher education programs in technology, engineering, the sciences and business; and (3) help current teachers apply technology in their classrooms. With regard to that third priority, I am pleased to note that EKU received a $1.3 million grant last year to work with six area middle schools to enhance instruction in science, mathematics and technology and stoke their interest in related careers. Like Kentucky, Oklahoma is seeking to diversify its economy. A primary focus of Oklahoma’s higher education agenda in recent years has been Brain Gain 2010, a strategy to enhance the state’s intellectual capital. One of the priorities of Brain Gain 2010 is to focus on K-12 math curriculum to improve low performance. Another priority is to expand concurrent enrollment opportunities for high school students who can benefit from early college attendance. At Eastern, hundreds of area high school seniors are enrolled in our jump start program, taking college-credit classes while they finish their high school education. Kentucky’s economy, like that of Mississippi, Oregon and Oklahoma, relies on strong partnerships between higher education, state and local government and business and industry. Businesses and industries increasingly are taking stock of various quality-of-life issues and are seeking locations where they can attract the best and brightest employees. An educated citizenry is the single biggest factor in the growth and vitality of Kentucky and the key to the enriched quality of life we all desire. The quality of Kentuckians’ lives depends heavily upon all the good work that is taking place at campuses and outreach centers all across our Commonwealth. An excellent, well-funded post-secondary education system means that our health-care network will always have an ample supply of well-trained doctors, nurses and other health professionals. An excellent, well-funded post-secondary education system means there will always be well-prepared classroom teachers – and that the educational reforms that have brought so much positive attention to Kentucky would continue. An excellent, well-funded postsecondary education system means our existing industries have a reliable partner for employees, workforce training and specialized assistance. The fact is post-secondary education is intertwined with any quality-of-issue we could name, and if we don’t make an investment in our colleges and universities today, the price down the road will be far, far steeper. At Eastern, our Center for Economic Development, Entrepreneurship and Technology (CEDET) serves as headquarters for the 46-county Eastern Innovation Region of the Office for the New Economy. We are charged with: (1) increasing the number of high-tech jobs and businesses in the region; (2) helping existing businesses grow by applying new economy technologies and/or business practices; and (3) developing new business opportunities through the use of the university’s knowledge resources. One exciting feature of our “New Economy” work is the Innovation and Commercialization Center located on our campus. This center is designed to grow “New Economy” businesses through a variety of business development services, and that includes locating venture capital. The Innovation and Commercialization Center is especially helpful for those technology-related entrepreneurs who typically don’t see a clear path to success. These are entrepreneurs we need to nurture if we hope to keep our best and brightest college graduates in Kentucky. Also, a business incubator is planned to provide for the development of high-tech businesses related to safety and security. That is a statewide initiative headquartered in our College of Justice and Safety. It’s projects like this that break down barriers and develop strong partnerships between higher education and business and industry. If we are to grow our economy, I believe much of that growth must come from helping our existing businesses and industries as well as assisting home-grown entrepreneurs. Eastern offers various forms of direct assistance to industries throughout the region. This includes, but is not limited to customized training for employees (often at the industry’s site), workforce education classes and a wide variety of high-quality but affordable certification programs. These programs are examples of responding to the specific expressed needs of business and industry and tailoring assistance programs accordingly. Often, our job turns out to be one of matchmaking or facilitating, putting industries in touch through our networking capability with all types of resources. It used to be that proximity to industrial centers was the leading factor in a community’s economic development potential. Now it’s proximity to colleges and universities. It used to be that low-cost labor was an asset industries coveted highly. Now it’s an educated workforce. At one time, abundant natural resources attracted industries. Now it’s resources for research. It used to be that transportation infrastructure was a must to lure good jobs. Now it’s information infrastructure. Do you see the trend here? The common thread that runs through all those modern needs is higher education. Our progress as a state rests on how well and how quickly we as institutions of higher education and state and community leaders embrace these changes. Editor's Note: This article was adapted from a speech delivered by EKU President Joanne K. Glasser before the Kentucky Industrial Development Council on April 15 in Richmond.
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Copyright 1996-2004, by Kentucky Business Online. All rights reserved. Editorial content
is copyright 2004, Lane Communications Group The Lane Report is a trademark of Lane Communications Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
I am a relative newcomer to Kentucky, but from the minute I moved here from my native Maryland to assume the presidency of Eastern Kentucky University back in the summer of 2001, I was impressed with what I saw and continue to see.