North Dakota College Aims to Link Higher Education and Economic Development

Mayville State plays to its strengths

This city’s university aims to join a statewide effort to link higher education with economic development by playing on its strengths in early child care and small business development. Mayville State University wants to use its expertise as models for the rest of North Dakota, as part of the state’s Centers of Excellence initiative.

School officials on Tuesday laid out proposals for Gov. John Hoeven and members of his administration. The governor began last spring a tour of all 11 University System schools to hear ideas for the initiative.

The North Dakota Legislature allocated about $5 million to fund select proposals in targeted industries. It’s hoped that the investment might grow to $150 million after it’s leveraged by more state, federal and private dollars.

Mayville State is looking to establish an Early Learning Economic Development Center of Excellence, as well as turn its Traill County tech incubator into an bona fide excellence center.

Allison Johnson, director of childhood development programs at Mayville State, said that the school, with its history rooted in teaching and early childhood development, is a natural to take on a leadership role to aid an industry that currently is poorly funded and fragmented.

"Mayville State is ready for this challenge," she said.

Full Story: http://www.masu.nodak.edu/about_msu/news.cfm?story=206