Planting Programs for Kingdom Growth

Lyndon State College hopes to increase the economic opportunities in the Northeast Kingdom while also increasing the percent of residents that have a four-year degree with the launch of the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship (CRE).

The goal of the program is "to educate more students and create more jobs in the northeast kingdom," says Ann Nygard, director of the program.

The plan to reach the goal through three different programs: Incubators without Walls (IWOW), Dress for Success, and NEK Manufacturing Training Program (NEKMTP).

IWOW is a program where local businesses who want to move to the next level but do not have the means to do so, are assisted by students at LSC who can help them with things such as market analysis, business plan development, cost analysis, and graphic and web design.

"There are very forward thinking professors on campus that want to interact with area businesses through their classes," says Nygard.

She says that this program helps them to do that effectively and efficiently.

In this, the businesses are getting the help that they need, while students are getting real world experience that looks impressive on a resume.

Eric Colantropo a Graphic Design and Digital Media student who for a class is working with a client from IWOW, Tara Lynn Bridal, says that he thinks the program is a positive one for students.

"I think it's interesting to be able to apply design to something that someone can actually use. It gives motivation. It's rewarding. It's not just thinking of an idea and putting it in your sketchbook and closing it," says Colantropo of being able to apply what he's learning in class to a local business.

Another initiative that CRE is hoping to begin is called "Dress for Success." This is a program which would raise money to purchase professional clothing for students, so they would have appropriate attire for interviews.

"This is another way we can transfer students into the workplace successfully," says Nygard.

This program has had one meeting that students can attend this past week, and will have another meeting on December 1, at 2:00 in ASAC. The exact room will be annonuced.

The NEKMTP is another program that is working under CRE. This would give people the ability to work in a manufacturing company in the area while studying the trade. This schooling would be paid by the employer. They hope that this will increase the amount of workers qualified to work in manufacturing businesses in the area, causing those businesses to thrive.

The goal of the program is to help the community thrive, and to help LSC students succeed after college.

"Our overall goal is to increase the amount of four year degrees earned in the Northeast Kingdom, and have that translate into higher paying jobs," says Nygard.

In order to do this, she says that there must be coordination between region development agencies, private businesses, and educators.