examination of the impact of economic development activities at a rural community college

Abstract

Rural community colleges sit at an important crossroads between academia, business, and government. Because of this unique position, they influence the economic development of the region in which they are located in many ways, and their external stakeholders often have unique and useful perspectives on this influence that can be utilized by the college to improve their economic development interactions. This qualitative, case study research examines these stakeholder's perspectives, finding that their concerns are generally related to college outreach activities, college programming, factors that limit the college's ability to influence economic development, and their own understanding of economic development. Using Romer's New Growth Theory as a theoretical lens, this research finds implications for practice including developing mutually beneficial and reciprocal relationships with external stakeholders, creating a regional economic development resource guide focusing on community college resources and services, and embedding external stakeholders onto curriculum advisory boards and other college committees to aid in communication and understanding.