SUNY Cobleskill Launches the Institute for Rural Vitality to Expand Educational Opportunities and Support Regional Development@미국뉴욕주립대학교 코블스킬
SUNY Cobleskill Launches the Institute for Rural Vitality to Expand Educational Opportunities and Support Regional Development@미국뉴욕주립대학교 코블스킬
SUNY Cobleskill announces the launch of the Institute for Rural Vitality, which engages the College’s resources in collaboration with regional partners to enhance community and economic vitality in rural New York.
The Institute addresses the region’s most pressing issues in economic development and education, from college access and career readiness to legal support for agricultural businesses through a unique partnership with Albany Law School. In all of the Institute’s initiatives, SUNY Cobleskill students, faculty, and staff are involved as partners with community leaders, creating boundless new immersive learning opportunities both on and off campus.
“The Institute for Rural Vitality represents a new era of regional cooperation and applied learning at SUNY Cobleskill,” said SUNY Cobleskill President Dr. Marion A. Terenzio. “We are reimagining education as a productive collaboration with the community that brings new energy and new growth to our region.”
Many of the activities of the Institute are being funded by a $749,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture received in December. The award was the second highest in the country among 19 grants from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture aimed at supporting agricultural education, research, and outreach at non-Land Grant colleges of agriculture.
Dr. Jason Evans, Associate Professor and Chair of Agriculture and Food Management at SUNY Cobleskill, has been selected to serve as the Institute’s director. Dr. Evans holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Economics and an M.S. in Agricultural Economics from West Virginia University. He has explored agricultural economics, policy, and production in two books and numerous academic papers.
“The Institute for Rural Vitality will firmly position SUNY Cobleskill as a key player in the longstanding and myriad efforts to improve quality of life in Schoharie County and the Mohawk Valley region,” Dr. Evans said. “The work of its centers will benefit area businesses and residents and will yield exciting opportunities for student experiential learning.”
The Institute consists of the following five centers that address specific opportunities in the region and act as incubators for new growth. The SUNY Cobleskill community and stakeholders throughout the region are encouraged to contribute their ideas and energy to the work of the Institute through one of its centers.
The Center for Farm and Food Entrepreneurship, in partnership with the Center for Agricultural Development & Entrepreneurship (CADE), assists farm and food businesses with technical, marketing, product, and business development.
The Center for Community Advancement promotes public-private partnerships that enhance quality of life. It serves as a clearinghouse for student-driven community service and training hub and think tank for K-12 and higher education professionals.
The Center for Business Development encourages entrepreneurship, job creation, and a stronger local economy through collaboration between SUNY Cobleskill faculty, staff, and the local business community. SUNY Cobleskill was recently cited by Empire State Development as one of a handful of higher education institutions, including New York University and the University at Albany, partnering with private businesses to bring more than 640 new jobs and $15 million in investment to the state.
The Center for Art and Culture fosters the arts and culture as drivers of social and economic development in collaboration with museums and other community partners.
The Center for Rural Legal and Policy Services, a partnership with Albany Law School, focuses on the issues that affect rural businesses and communities, offering legal consultation, educational programming, and advocacy.
