STARKVILLE — Like the three county seats of the Golden Triangle, Starkville is a hub of innovation and industry.
Alfred Rankins Jr., commissioner for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, told Starkville Rotarians on Monday at the Hilton Garden Inn to picture what the city would be like without Mississippi State University.
“(Mississippi universities) engage in partnerships with Mississippi Development Authority and others like our local chambers of commerce in attracting new industry and jobs within various regions across the state,” Rankins said. “… I know some of you get frustrated when the students come in, with traffic and try to get in and out of Walmart, but this university has a tremendous impact on this community and this state.”
Rankins spoke about IHL and the eight public universities it oversees, how the organization operates and the economic impact the universities have on the state through their research, programs and graduates.
Rankins said 57% of graduates from IHL universities gain employment in the state within one year of securing a degree. IHL graduates have a roughly $10,000 higher average salary five years after completing a bachelor’s degree than those with an associate’s degree, and of the state’s 50 top paying jobs, 46 require at least a bachelor’s-level degree — some require more, he said.
Rankins said in 2021, 19,687 degrees were awarded to students graduating from IHL universities, which is up 19% from 2014.
“I’m not discounting jobs that don’t require a baccalaureate-level degree,” Rankins said. “The point I’m trying to make is we need a balance that includes both. We need more plumbers. We need more welders. We need more HVAC techs, but we also need more of those high-skill jobs (like pediatricians, surgeons and nurse anesthetists, among others, in the list of 50 highest paying jobs in Mississippi) if we really want to move the needle here in our state.”
The universities have an economic impact in three main areas — business development, livability of a place and attracting human capital.
Regarding business development, he said the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems at MSU is a good example of a university working with industry partners because it works with the Nissan plant in Canton.
Rankins said universities increase the appeal for living in a town because they bring in things like entertainment through athletics and concerts; cultural events like art festivals and guest speakers; and economic impact through job creation and visitor and student spending.
“The development of human capital does not start with students enrolled in our universities,” Rankins said. “It starts in the (kindergarten through 12th grade) level with outreach programs like some science camps … and programs like GEAR UP Mississippi, which is offered at Delta State University through a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. They take low-income and minority students and helping them get college-ready or get them ready for college-level work while they’re at the K-12 level, which helps with the pipeline of potential workers.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 44 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 44 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Join the Discussion