Firelands College of community

I'm happy to be afforded this opportunity to provide Sandusky Register readers with an update on BGSU Firelands' strategic priorities, while at the same time shedding some light on our mission as the regional provider of higher-education to residents of Sandusky, Huron, Norwalk and surrounding communities.First, a little historical context: Ohio Governor James Rhodes' goal of a college within thirty miles of every resident acknowledged the fact that access to higher education opportunities was unevenly distributed throughout the state. While many thousands of students could have a traditional university experience on one of Ohio's 13 university campuses, and thousands more, especially those in urban areas such as Cleveland and Dayton, could attend one of Ohio's community colleges, there were those in the state's more rural areas who could do neither. Cost was the biggest factor limiting access, but not the only one. Family circumstances, high school preparation and the cultural barriers facing first-generation degree seekers all played a role. With clear ties to one of the greatest public higher education systems in the nation, Ohio's regional branch campuses — including BGSU Firelands — were created with the knowledge that higher education leads to economic prosperity and that a state with many degree pathways will be a state with more degree achievers.Today, Gov. John Kasich's goal of a state where 65 percent of residents hold some form of post-secondary degree or certificate underscores the economic imperative of regional higher education. Given our size, our limited resources and our access mission, however, regional campuses such as BGSU Firelands must be careful to offer select degrees that align with regional economic need, providing sustainable career pathways for our students.When I accepted the position of dean 2-1/2 years ago, I was charged with assessing the extent to which our current degree portfolio was aligned with regional job growth and economic trends. This assessment led to a very intentional decision to focus new program development on applied bachelor degrees. By applied, I mean programs that lead directly to careers in specific industry sectors, such as health care, technology or social services. The shift from associate degrees to a strategic mix of associate and applied bachelor degrees represents a sea-change for BGSU Firelands. While for many years we have offered coursework leading to bachelor degrees such as Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Business Administration, these degrees are conferred by our sister colleges on the BG campus. The degrees under development will be the first bachelor degrees offered at and conferred by BGSU Firelands.Currently in the pipeline is a bachelor of science in respiratory care, scheduled for roll-out in fall 2018, and a bachelor's degree in technical and applied studies. This latter degree will be structured in a way that will allow BGSU Firelands to respond quickly to regional economic development through the creation of 10-course concentrations in specific areas, the first of these being small business enterprise. The bachelor's of technical and applied studies will also highlight important BGSU values by requiring students to complete a service-learning project as well as a capstone experience directly tied to the student's career choice.Although having a relevant curriculum is the most important component to BGSU Firelands' evolution and growth, we also need to ensure that our students and faculty have access to facilities conducive to rigorous instruction. In 2015 we saw the opening of our renovated North Building, Phase I of the Allied Health and Sciences Project, with new labs and classrooms in support of our natural science and technology offerings.This spring we plan to begin construction on Phase II of the project. Supporting our Allied Health and Nursing programs, this $4.1 million project will consist of a complete renovation of the second floor of George Mylander Hall, including new laboratories for our Respiratory Care, Sonography, and Radiologic Technology programs. The dust will continue to be raised through fall 2018, with occupancy scheduled for spring semester 2019.Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the important partnerships we continue to cultivate. Under the leadership of Erie County Economic Development director Abbey Bemis, the Regional Incubator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship, or RISE, has expanded the services currently offered on the BGSU Firelands campus to budding entrepreneurs to include a series of workshops, programs, and networking events in the city of Sandusky. We look forward to working even more closely with Abbey and ECEDC to realize the synergies between RISE and our new bachelor's degree programs.A newer partnership with which readers of the Register will be familiar is with the Firelands Symphony Orchestra. Under a new agreement, BGSU Firelands will be the home of the FSO School of the Arts. Operating out of a renovated space on the first floor of George Mylander Hall, FSO's presence on our campus will provide many opportunities to bring cultural arts programming to Firelands' students and the community. IIt is through partnerships such as these, and others still too new to announce, that BGSU Firelands will thrive. As one of my predecessors would often say, BGSU Firelands is not a community college, but it is a college of the community.I welcome your feedback – by email, in person or telephone at kurtz@bgsu.edu, 1 University Drive, Huron or (419) 372-0623. Andrew Kurtz