Feb. 18, 2006
 
THE MANCHIN REPORT: Higher Education Setting Pace for State’s Growth
 
By Joe Manchin Governor of West Virginia
 
Charleston, WV (HNN) -- This week, I met with leaders from West Virginia’s higher education community to celebrate the annual Higher Education Day at the Legislature and discuss the important leadership role of our public and private higher education institutions in our ongoing efforts to improve our state’s economic climate.
 
Our colleges and universities are so much more than just centers of academia. West Virginia’s higher education institutions are regional leaders -- hubs around which our state is building its economic future. Higher education continues to broaden its scope and meet the new challenges in the world of academia, research and development, and workforce development.
 
Today, more West Virginians are taking advantage of our state’s higher educational opportunities than ever before. During the past seven years, our college-going rate has increased from 49.3 percent to 60.6 percent, exceeding the national average of 56.6 percent.
 
The steadily increasing college-going rate among West Virginians defies national projections of declines in our state’s high school graduate population, and is truly a sign of positive movement in our efforts to expand accessibility across our state to higher education opportunities.
 
By increasing accessibility through distance learning, web-based courses and expanded offerings at our two- and four-year institutions, our state has taken major steps to reverse the trend of state residents leaving West Virginia to take advantage of educational and professional opportunities elsewhere. According to a recent report issued by the West Virginia Community and Technical College System, approximately 76 percent of college graduates remained in West Virginia either as workers or as students continuing their education.
 
It is important that we continue to provide our higher education partners with the flexibility that will allow these institutions to grow and thrive. I’m proud to say that we have taken steps to provide our colleges and universities with the tools to compete within the regional and national education market, and this work is ongoing.
 
As I have discussed my “Open for Business” philosophy during the past year, I have explained that this is as much a mindset as it is a plan for our future success. The key to West Virginia’s economic growth lies in the solid partnerships that have been forged among our state’s community and economic stakeholders. If West Virginia is to reach its full potential, higher education will remain at the forefront as a leader supporting and driving change. Based on these recent findings, it is clear that our colleges and universities are truly paving the way for a brighter future.