As I meet with community members—whether they are CEOs or entry-level workers, political leaders or parents—the number one topic is how MCC can partner to improve economic development in the greater Rochester area. SUNY’s power as a statewide economic development engine is a key message that the new chancellor underscores in each of her public statements, and clearly, President Obama’s American Graduation Initiative sees community colleges as central to preparing the workforce of the new economy: “We also know that in the coming years, jobs requiring at least an associate degree are projected to grow twice as fast as jobs requiring no college experience. We will not fill those jobs – or keep those jobs on our shores – without the training offered by community colleges.”
As a member of the League for Innovation in the Community College, MCC has long been on the forefront of offering short and long term programming in emerging fields, and as a new board member of Greater Rochester Enterprise, MCC is now at the table to partner with GRE to attract new employers and industries to the area. Since late summer, a staffer from RochesterWorks! has been on campus assisting displaced workers in identifying new careers, and last week, I testified to the Task Force on Diversifying the New York State Economy through Industry-Higher Education Partnerships about the critical role MCC and all state community colleges play in providing a pipeline of highly skilled workers. So, clearly, the topic is not new to the college, but this year, we will focus on expanding MCC’s role in workforce and economic development. In part, this discussion simply revisits why most students come to college: to begin a course of study that will lead to a meaningful position in a field of interest.
Economic development is not an activity that occurs in any one MCC office or classroom. The reality is that every one of our programs is an economic development program, whether the graduate directly enters (or re-enters) the workforce or transfers to earn a four-year degree. Each of the almost 20,000 students who joined us this fall is looking for an opportunity at a better future. Our ability to partner with the community to increase these opportunities has never been more important. I hope that you will join in the conversation as it convenes this fall and continues through the spring. Thoughts? Email your feedback.
Next Wednesday, what’s this I hear about an Honors College?
Anne Kress
President's Office
09/23/2009 |