Educators and business/industry representatives gathered recently at Alfred State College’s Lake Lodge for an economic development summit: “Strengths of Academics and Business Partnerships.” The event was sponsored by Alfred State (ASC), Corning Community College (CCC), and Jamestown Community College (JCC). Keynote speakers were Dr. Mark Estepp, president, and Dr. Barbara Fuller, vice president of instruction, both of Southwest Virginia Community College, who addressed “The Community College: An Economic Development Partner That Can Produce a Profit.” The day-long event also included remarks by representatives of each of the sponsoring colleges, as well as a panel discussion on successful business and academic partnerships. Panel members included Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz, education program manager at the Washington, DC, Metro Area of the Appalachian Regional Commission, who served as facilitator; Jan van den Blink, CEO and chairman of the Hilliard Corp., Elmira, who spoke about his company’s relationship with CCC; Bill Cunningham, senior manufacturing engineer, Dresser-Rand (D-R), Wellsville, who spoke about the D-R/ASC partnership; Sandy Sleggs, assistant director of Human Resources, CUTCO Cutlery Corp., Olean, and James Stitt, president, CUTCO, who spoke about their company’s partnership with JCC; and Jesse Gugino, director, Continuing Education, JCC, who also spoke about that college’s relationship with CUTCO. Each panel member concurred that partnerships between academe and industry are mutually beneficial but that more can be done—must be done—to broaden the scope of the benefits to those communities they serve.
Pictured here, l-r: Dr. John M. Anderson, president, Alfred State College; Dr. Mark Estepp, president, and Dr. Barbara Fuller, vice president of instruction, both of Southwest Virginia Community College; Dr. Katherine P. Douglas, president, Corning Community College; and Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz, education program manager at the Washington, DC, Metro Area of the Appalachian Regional Commission.