Rebirth of the Middle
Tags: University, Culture, America, Culture Stock, Urban Planning

But in hindsight, I wondered, what’s so wrong with Granville? What could other small cities nearby, like Dayton, less than a two-hour drive from Granville, offer me that could convince me to stay in the Buckeye state?

Though perfect for a four-year education, many colleges around the country create a “brain-drain” from the very towns that provided their students an education. So these days, many college towns aren’t worried about getting students to come, but how to get them to stay.

Let’s break it down. Towns and cities need a sustainable economy to grow. Meanwhile, colleges and universities are a great economic resource because they provide jobs to locals. Plus, a bustling student population boosts local businesses. But that’s still not enough to sustain a city’s economy, or those of neighboring towns that may be suffering. There is a need for higher-paying jobs, which means higher-level work, which means higher-educated people.

Where do you get higher-educated people? Colleges and universities. Recent graduates are hungry for good jobs they can apply their four years of studying to, and they want to work somewhere that will set them up for career success the rest of their professional lives.

Enter big brands and companies looking for growth and innovation. Averse to paying up for mid-level job experience, corporations want smart, competent workers at a lower cost, especially if they want to operate in an area that’s convenient and where taxes are inexpensive.

Thus, college towns have the opportunity to bridge the gap by expanding resources to boost the economy, accessibility and sustainability of America’s “Middle” by partnering with brands that seek innovation and growth.

We’re already seeing this movement starting to unfold. Here are two examples:

1. Tulsa, Oklahoma — Once the “Oil Capital of the World,” Tulsa enjoyed great economic growth, but that has waned since the early ’90s. Nevertheless, the University of Tulsa has always been a resource to the city, especially its world-renowned Spartan School of Aeronautics, established in 1928. It’s why American Airlines chose to base its largest maintenance facility in the world there. And Lufthansa followed suit, opening The Center of Excellence for Production in Tulsa.

2. Manhattan, Kansas — Home to Kansas State University, Manhattan is described by many as the classic college town. Known for its extensive research facilities, it boasts the acclaimed College of Veterinary Medicine. There’s also other impressive focused sciences like the College of Agriculture, College of Engineering and the College of Human Ecology. No surprise, then, that in 2022 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will be opening the new National Bio and Agro-defense Facility (NBAF), adjacent to Kansas State’s Biosecurity Facility. NBAF will act as the country’s leading animal disease research facility.

The equation is obvious: college and university resources + big brand companies = economic prosperity.

Tulsa’s Spartan School of Aeronautics educates students in aircrafts + American Airlines and Lufthansa establishing facilities in Tulsa = job openings for recent graduates and companies hiring specially skilled employees.

KSU educates students in animal treatment + NBAF establishing its newest facility near the campus = recent graduates having access to facilities and jobs in Manhattan and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security hiring innovative employees.

Not every town or city has these advantages — yet. But the opportunities are all around if the colleges and brands both seek each other out and understand the mutual benefits. There is for instance, a terrific opportunity in Lubbock, Texas.

Despite being recognized for valuing education — it is home to top-ranked high schools and seven colleges — Lubbock has struggled with economic growth and quality of life for nearly 20 years. Among the problems are environmental issues like recycling and waste management and increasingly inclement weather. But new things are on the horizon. Texas Tech University, the biggest of Lubbock’s colleges, is expected to grow its student population from roughly 30,000 current students to 40,000 by 2020. This means Lubbock will soon see an increase in student activity and business, and that just a few years later there will be an influx of college graduates in the area.

With Texas Tech strong in epidemiology, pulsed power, nanophotonics, atmospheric sciences and wind energy, its students seem poised to aid Lubbock in tackling its environmental concerns. All that’s missing are the job opportunities to make this happen.

To get students to stay in Texas, and in Lubbock in particular, I looked at what Texas already uniquely offers that makes these studies applicable. Move over cowboys, country music and oil and gas — the latest thing Texas does better than any other state in the country is wind power. With more than 40 wind farms, the industry has created more than 24,000 jobs for local communities. And it keeps on growing. Two major wind farms are in close proximity to Lubbock: Brazos Wind Ranch in Borden County, just an hour away, and Horse Hollow in Taylor County, a two-hour drive. Lubbock’s growing student population and the growing wind power industry seem like a match made in Lone Star State heaven.

The plain fact is, you don’t need to live in a big city to have a big impact. Diversifying the skills in a town and bringing new opportunities will bring a widespread benefit not only to the town’s economy but to the quality of life for everyone.