Dear Friends,
Missouri Western has a long history of working within the region to determine the workforce needs that can be addressed by the University and build partnerships to effectively respond to those needs.
In the past, community partners have included Heartland Health, now Mosaic Life Care, to develop an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree for their employees; the 139th Airlift Wing of the Missouri Air National Guard to assist personnel in completing their college degrees; and Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri to help RNs earn their BSNs.
Additionally, the University collaborates in multiple workforce readiness activities with regional businesses, including the use of a $1 million grant to help employees earn degrees while participating in company-sponsored workforce development activities.
Recently, Missouri Western partnered with the St. Joseph School District, the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Greater St. Joseph and area businesses to offer a course for prospective manufacturing employees. An article about it is on p. 13.
I am proud of our workforce readiness efforts to date, and I know Missouri Western personnel will continue to find ways to provide the skilled, knowledgeable workforce critical to today’s 21st century economy.
On a related note, the Missouri State General Assembly’s 2016 legislative session will end shortly. Missouri Western presented two legislative priorities to the legislators throughout this session: 1) Increase Missouri Western’s operating appropriation by 6 percent, allowing the University to freeze in-state undergraduate tuition and invest in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics programs; and 2) Appropriate $5 million in capital funds for Potter Hall, allowing Missouri Western to meet the immediate needs of classroom space for our fine arts programs through an addition and renovation.
As this issue goes to press, we don’t know the final results of our efforts in the Legislature, but I wanted to share the University’s priorities with our alumni and supporters. We will continue to work with the community, region, state and beyond to ensure that Missouri Western remain true to its workforce readiness mission as we embark on our second century.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Vartabedian
President, Missouri Western State University