Case Study: STEM Educational Pathways
GOAL:
South Central “Southside” Virginia, anchored by the city of Danville, wanted to attract and develop talent in order to build the economy of the future.
CHALLENGE:
However, low levels of educational attainment meant that it was very difficult for the region to attract high-tech, high-growth companies. The community despaired about losing their “best and brightest” when college-going students left the region, never to return to live. Locally available post-secondary education was not pointed at the economy of the future, but instead the economy of the past. There was a dearth of basic STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills among the region’s citizens.
SOLUTION:
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research focused on creating programs and establishing partnerships with a wide range of educational entities to execute a strategy to develop and attract talent in the disciplines and occupations associated with the IALR research areas of focus. South Central “Southside” Virginia,anchored by the city of Danville, wanted to attract and develop talent in order to build the economy of the future.
The IALR action plan centered on:
A. Attracting and retaining graduate students by:
a. Creating a comprehensive support system for graduate students in residence
b. Employing technology to offer classes to grad students in residence
c. Connecting grad students to other young professionals through a network and events
B. Retaining the best and brightest college students by:
a. Working with the local Chamber of Commerce to create a STEM summer internship program
b. Partnering with local schools to provide research opportunities for high school students
C. Developing interest in STEM fields and occupations by:
a. Expanding, through faculty development programs, K-12 and local college faculty capacity to teach science and math and employ technology in teaching and learning
b. Offering summer STEM camps
c. Hosting field trips at IALR that included meeting scientists and touring laboratories
d. Partnering with the Danville Church-Based Tutorial Program to reach
kids after school and parents without high school diplomas in nonthreatening learning environments
e. Establishing a math learning center
f. Offering STEM classes to local businesses and under-skilled adults
D. Creating a seamless K-20 talent pipeline targeted to the industries associated with the IALR research activities by:
a. Creating a council of academic leaders from all regional K-12 systems, community colleges, and targeted four-year institutions to design academic pathways that maximized credit transfer across high school –community college- 4-year institutions in a areas aligned with IALR research activities.
OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS:
By 2007, 9144 individuals in the region participated in IALR-sponsored programs, workshops, courses,
internships, and seminars. These participants included 885 K-16 educators who developed new skills in the sciences,
technology, engineering and/or math. Danville’s post-secondary educational attainment rose significantly between 2000 and 20151:
- Associate’s degree 2000: 4.8% 2012: 9.1% 2015: 9.4%
- Bachelor’s & higher 2000: 13.9% 2012: 16.5% 2015: 17.2%
Furthermore, a Milken Institute study, citing Danville, Virginia, demonstrated that a region’s economic fortunes
are closely tied to the quality of its workforce. “Average years of schooling in the (Danville) metro rose 1.1 years to
13.18 from 1990 to 2010. This boosted real GDP by 12.2 percent or $3440.”1 These data suggest that the IALR’s
focus on creating a talent and innovation ecosystem is paying off.
