Page 53 - FDI Alliance International Magazine, July 2019 Interactive Issue_Neat

Culinary and hospitality programs are relatively
common, especially in communities where tourism
spend more time on site, while at the same time
plays a major role in the economy. Less common are
experiencing the time demands of industry careers.
programs focused on careers in outdoor recreation,
In eastern Kentucky, Southeast Kentucky Community
although they are becoming more common as
and Technical College operates the Benham School
community colleges become more directly engaged in
House Inn, the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum,
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tourism.
and the Portal 31 Mine Tour. The college owns the
museum and Portal 31 attractions, while Harlan
In New Hampshire, White Mountains Community a nontraditional schedule that allows students to
College was a partner with a number of community- County is owner of the inn with its operation
local agencies, representatives from the Bureau the case of Kirkwood Community College in impact downtown revitalization. The Launchpad 16
based organizations and the state in the creation
of Prisons, and other organizations into one Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a AAA 4-Diamond hotel is a project of Eastern West Virginia Community delegated to the school.
room. Together, they aimed to coordinate efforts, and restaurant. The hotel serves as a teaching and Technical College, under the umbrella of
streamline messaging, and aggregate resources of a tourism development and marketing initiative
the Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship and
lab for both hospitality and culinary students.
to ensure that qualified local job applicants Courses are offered using a nontraditional Economic Development (IREED). It is intended
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would be maximally prepared for the arduous schedule that allows students to spend more egional effort brought
called NHGrand. This r
to support entrepreneurial opportunities and
application process, and that every interested time on site, while at the same time experiencing develop new businesses in rural West Virginia. Downtown Revitalization
together five local chambers of commerce and other
local business would get the support it needed to the time demands of industry careers.
By placing the Launchpad in the heart of the
become eligible to do business with the federal partners, under the leadership of the local community
government. In eastern Kentucky, Southeast Kentucky downtown, rather than on campus, the college
development financial institution, to forge a common
Community and Technical College operates made a strategic decision both to commit a
Though the work benefitted from small initial seed the Benham School House Inn, the Kentucky college presence to the downtown and to meet
local identity that would limit competition and
funding ($10,000), the bulk of it was completed Coal Mining Museum, and the Portal 31 Mine entrepreneurs where they are. The choice of As noted earlier, community colleges may place an
without any need for additional funding (each Tour. The college owns the museum and Portal Wardensville was strategic: the town sits adjacent
encourage common branding, including signage and
entity used its own existing funding). To entice 31 attractions, while Harlan County is owner of to the West Virginia/ Virginia border and is the outward-facing satellite operation in a downtown
informational kiosks.
organizations to participate, and to encourage the inn with its operation delegated to the school first community reached when travelers from
public support, every invited participant was the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. This may be a restaurant operated by the
promised that no meetings would be held unless DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION area enter the Potomac Highlands of West
In some cases, community colleges may be operators
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there was a specific reason to do so, with an As noted earlier, community colleges may Virginia. Nascent revitalization efforts were college’s culinary program, a satellite campus, an
place an outward-facing satellite operation in already in place in Wardensville, with several
agenda provided ahead of time. Furthermore, all of tourism-related ventures. Gogebic Community
meetings were held publicly and press coverage a downtown area. This may be a restaurant new businesses opened. art gallery, or in the case of Eastern Iowa Community
College in Ironwood, Michigan, owns and operates
was encouraged. Close coordination with the operated by the college’s culinary program, 19
Procurement Technical Assistance Program and a satellite campus, an art gallery, or in the The New Biz Launchpad includes retail space. Colleges, administrative offices. The presence of
the Mt. Zion Recreation Complex, a ski resort that is
with Business Services North (a small business case of Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, In 2016, the college started Skybrook LLC, a
assistance group) ensured that timely and administrative offices. The presence of these studentrun store that provides local students these downtown activities helps drive foot traffic
thorough business support occurred. open to the public and serves as a teaching laboratory to areas in need of it, which in turn can serve as a
downtown activities helps drive foot traffic to hands-on learning in entrepreneurship, and
areas in need of it, which in turn can serve as a
where students can learn the mechanics of
for the prestigious Ski Area Management Program
TOURISM magnet for new development or redevelopment. starting and running a business. The Launchpad magnet for new development or redevelopment. In
The role of community colleges in tourism In Suffolk, Virginia, efforts have been made to also provides mentoring and co-working areas
at the college. The Ski Area Management Program,
historically has focused on workforce situate a campus downtown, with revitalization for eight to 12 startups, and meeting and Suffolk, Virginia, efforts have been made to situate
development. a comprehensive training program for careers in
expected to result. In northeast Pennsylvania, conference room spaces for training, lectures and
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Culinary and hospitality programs are relatively similar efforts are underway with both four-year other purposes. The meeting space reinforces the a campus downtown, with revitalization expected
the snow sport industry, combines technical and
common, especially in communities where and community colleges. partnership aspect of downtown revitalization,
tourism plays a major role in the economy. Less by providing space for local SBDC counselors to to result. In northeast Pennsylvania, similar efforts
academic study with a practical internship, using the
common are programs focused on careers in It is important to note that downtown revitalization meet with clients. The Launchpad has extended are underway with both four-year and community
outdoor recreation, although they are becoming is not an activity that a college can or should its reach through an ag-innovation project that
more common as community colleges become Mt. Zion Recreation Complex as a training facility. colleges.
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pursue alone. Downtown revitalization requires works with farmers, growers, schools and
more directly engaged in tourism. business owners, aspiring business owners, companies to explore economic diversification
Other colleges may own and operate restaurants in
economic developers, political leaders and other
opportunities for farmers beyond raising livestock
In New Hampshire, White Mountains to work in harmony, if not in formal partnership. or growing crops. It is important to note that downtown revitalization
support of culinary programs (sometimes located
Community College was a partner with a No college has the means or the resources is not an activity that a college can or should pursue
number of communitybased organizations to undertake the varied activities that are key In all cases, colleges must balance the need
off campus, in downtown areas), or in the case of
and the state in the creation of a tourism components of downtown revitalization. The for sound fiscal decision-making with the alone. Downtown revitalization requires business
development and marketing initiative called value of a community college in these efforts opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way
Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids,
NHGrand. This regional effort brought together – above and beyond an actual downtown to the preservation and restoration of downtown owners, aspiring business owners, economic
five local chambers of commerce and other presence, which can draw foot traffic and areas. These efforts, more often than not, come
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Iowa, a AAA 4-Diamond hotel and restaurant. The
partners, under the leadership of the local shoppers – is as a neutral convener of interested about as a result of service expansion or new developers, political leaders and other to work in
parties.
program development with a concurrent need
community development financial institution, hotel serves as a teaching lab for both hospitality
to forge a common local identity that would limit for space. Rarer are the cases like that of Eastern harmony, if not in formal partnership. No college has
and culinary students. Courses are offered using
competition and encourage common branding, The New Biz Launchpad, in Wardensville, West Iowa Community College, in which the college the means or the resources to undertake the varied
including signage and informational kiosks. Virginia, is an example of how a college, through is redeveloping existing downtown space while
a thoughtful focus on entrepreneurship, can vacating its current downtown location. activities that are key components of downtown
In some cases, community colleges may be
operators of tourism-related ventures. Gogebic revitalization. The value of a community college in
Community College in Ironwood, Michigan,
owns and operates the Mt. Zion Recreation these efforts – above and beyond an actual downtown
Complex, a ski resort that is open to the public
and serves as a teaching laboratory for the presence, which can draw foot traffic and shoppers –
prestigious Ski Area Management Program at is as a neutral convener of interested parties.
the college. The Ski Area Management Program,
a comprehensive training program for careers
in the snow sport industry, combines technical The New Biz Launchpad, in Wardensville, West
and academic study with a practical internship, Virginia, is an example of how a college, through
using the Mt. Zion Recreation Complex as a
training facility. a thoughtful focus on entrepreneurship, can impact
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Other colleges may own and operate restaurants downtown revitalization. The Launchpad is
in support of culinary programs (sometimes
located off campus, in downtown areas), or in a project of Eastern West Virginia Community
and Technical College, under the umbrella of the
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