1 Regional Economic Area Partnership of South Central Kansas Wellington, KSApril 20th of 2017 Presenter: Dennis C. Rittle, PhD President of Cowley College

2 Lack of Agency & Self-DisciplineSelf Efficacy . . .

3 Advancing a generation of learnersWhat is our focus? 1) Student Success a) Student-Athletes b) Graduate Earnings c) Transferability and Graduation at Universities 2) Value People a) Safe Community b) Student Publications 3) Student/Stakeholder Needs a) Community Involvement

4 Advancing a generation of learnersWhat is our focus? 4) Technology Infrastructure a) Wi-Fi b) Broadband c) Distance Education d) Student Information System 5) Fiscal Responsibility a) Tax Dollars (Federal, State, Local) b) Scholarships 6) Planning and Leading a) Learn Local

5 Advancing a generation of learnersBy the Numbers: 1) More than 600 Degrees and Certificates in 2015/2016 (completion rate of more than 30% - 9% is the approximate national average) 2) Most Declared Major: Science and Pre-professional (27%) 3) Second Most Declared Major: Humanities and Business/Computer Sci (17%-18%) 4) 46% of credits are taken from students of Sedgwick County 5) 27% of credits are taken from students of Cowley County 6) 60% of student body is comprised of women 7) Approximately 5,000 unduplicated headcount all locations 8) Approximately 2,000 non-credit seeking students all locations

6 Advancing A Vibrant communityWhat is our value? 1) Partnerships a) High Schools b) Industries c) Civic and Non-Profit Organizations d) Government (Local and State) e) Universities 2) Economical Development a) Trained Workforce (Increased/Improved: job creation, local governance, entrepreneurship, personal savings, wealth creation, tax base, and civic responsibility)[Pillay, 2011] b) External Dollars 3) Community Enrichment a) Cultural Diversity b) Arts c) Athletics d) Facilities

7 Advancing A Vibrant communityNew Programs/Activities 1) Fire Science 2) Milling (International Association of Operative Millers – ADM) 3) Phi Theta Kappa, Beta Phi Upsilon Chapter, Mulvane 4) Cowley Pep Band 5) Agribusiness (Coming Soon) 6) Information Technology – specialty focus (Coming Soon) 7) Wrestling (non-academic—coming Fall of 2017) New Partnerships 1) Tiger2Tiger Pathways – FHSU ($15K Pathways) 2) Newell Rubbermaid, GKN, TECT, Triumph, and KanOkla 3) Pell Grants for Eligible HS Students (Fall Results: B+ Average) 4) K-State Milling, Dietetics, Nutrition & Health, and Technology Management, Articulation Agreements

8 Cowley College–Wellington CampusWhat is our value? Our Achievements a) Student Success 1) Aspen Institute TOP 150 Colleges (2016/17) 2) Top 50 Best Value Colleges Nationally (2016) 3) Top 15% Earnings for Graduates, Brookings Institute (2015) 4) High Performing Graduates of Transfer Degrees (10%) 5) Higher Learning Commission Reaffirmation, AQIP b) Brand Recognition 1) Other than WSU, most recognized college in Greater Wichita area (2015/16) 2) Multiple National Awards for Marketing Designs (2015/16) 3) Phi Theta Kappa, REACH Award Recipient, National Award (2017) 4) $15K Pathways (Education and Technical Leadership) c) Learner-Centered / Community-Focused 1) 16,000+ Student Volunteer HRS (2015/2016) 2) Hybrids, Online, & Flipped Classes 3) Only College in KS/OK to offer Pell $$$ to HS Students Our Partnerships . . .

9 Cowley College–Wellington Campus

10 Cowley College–Wellington CampusWhy Are We Having this Discussion? 1) Local Area Interest years ago . . . a) Business and Industry b) Educational Organizations c) Economic Development d) Local Dignitaries 2) Required Service Area of the College Cowley, Sumner, and Western Chautauqua Counties

11 Cowley College–Wellington CampusWho did we visit/survey? 1) Business and Industry 2) School Professionals 3) City/County Officials 4) Civic and Economic Organizations 5) Cowley College Colleagues with prior experience 6) High School Students 7) Adult Learners

12 Cowley College–Wellington CampusWhy did the College fail in the past? 1) No local funding stream – now, ½% County Sales Tax 2) No local admin support from the College level 3) Minimal sense of community while students attended classes 4) The design was temporal in nature 5) Partnerships were fragile 6) Marketing was modest

13 Cowley College–Wellington CampusWhat did we learn? 1) Respondents: 700+ High School Students,131 Local Professionals, and many focus groups, more than 1,000 total respondents 2) High School Students: a) Wellington, Belle Plaine, Mulvane, Oxford, Conway Springs, Caldwell, South Haven, and Argonia b) Most important factors in deciding a job: Enjoy the job (98%), get a good job in 1-2 years (96%), staying close to family and friends (80%)

14 Cowley College–Wellington CampusWhat did we learn? 3) Adult Learners: a) Preferred location of a Cowley College Site: Wellington – 74% b) Most important factors in deciding a job: Enjoy the job (99%), get a good job in 1-2 years (97%), being able to advance (95%), staying close to family and friends (93%) c) Advice to HS students, complete a tech cert or complete a two-year degree before moving forward (86%)

15 Cowley College–Wellington CampusWhat did we learn? 4) Takeaways: a) Significant Interest with HS and Adult Learners b) Need daytime and evening coursework c) HS student prefer Gen Ed with Pathways d) Adult learners prefer career paths with specialization e) Price range needs to be modest with FA available f) HS Students and Adult Learners want to stay in Sumner County g) Locate the Campus in Wellington

16 Cowley College–Wellington CampusMulvane Location Winfield Location Wellington Campus Arkansas City Campus

17 Cowley College–Wellington CampusAcademic Programs 1) Agricultural Studies (New) 2) Machining 3) Mechatronics OR Manufacturing Tech (New) 4) Fire Science and First Responders 5) Education/Teaching 6) Information Technology/Computer Science (New) 7) Transfer Degrees (General Education) ROI Notes: Project 3,000 new graduates & 2,040 new/retained citizens in Sumner County

18 Cowley College–Wellington Campus Campus Initial RenditionProduced by Mark Goodrum & Co.

19 Advancing A Vibrant communityKey Transferable Lessons 1) Continued Emphasis of Campus Living/Experience 2) The Value of an affordable and usable education transcends generations and is considered a worthwhile investment because of its return to the community for today and for the many tomorrows…

20 Regional Economic Area Partnership of South Central Kansas Wellington, KSQuestion & Response All learning begins with a question