Campus News
Economic Impact
Minnesota West was named a top online college for the third year in a row and #1 Community College in Minnesota as well as #3 online college nationally by bestcolleges.com. Minnesota West has also been recognized three times as a Top 150 Community College by the Aspen Institute, 10 times as a Digital Survey winner, and a Military Friendly school since 2012. Annually more than 9,000 students come to Minnesota West from 39 states and 10 countries.
Minnesota West is an educational treasure in southwest Minnesota making a significant impact.
Generating Impact in Minnesota
- Minnesota West generated an economic impact of $128.6 million. This includes a direct impact of $66.1 million and indirect/induced impact of$62.4 million.
- Operational and capital spending in the State of Minnesota generated $55.6 million of the total impact and $73.0 million from student and visitor spending.
Supporting and Sustaining Jobs in the State
- Minnesota West directly employs 334 people.
- Overall, Minnesota West supports 1,140 Minnesota jobs (724 direct and 416 indirect/induced).
Students and Alumni in the State Generate Additional Impact
In academic year 2016–2017, Minnesota West awarded 886 associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates. The class of 2017 will realize increased earning power as a result of getting a post-secondary credential or degree beyond high school. The alumni living and working in the state total 15,400. Assuming that a career lasts for 40 years, Minnesota West alumni currently living in Minnesota will have contributed$2.5 billion in impact over the span of their careers.
The Minnesota West campus community makes a difference throughout the region with faculty, alumni, and students participating in civic engagement, community volunteerism, service learning, internships, advisory boards, and most recently, earning the designation as a Yellow Ribbon Campus, honoring and supporting military families. All of the campuses have been recognized by Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Minnesota West is also leveraging its locations to meet regional needs and support local communities in unique ways. Unique partnerships, like leasing campus space to groups such as Southwest/West Central Coop, YMCA Worthington, Women’s Rural Advocacy Program, and more, illustrate the Minnesota West commitment to innovation and regional economic sustainability.
Making a Difference in the Community and State
Minnesota West is the regional leader in training development and delivery of programs that meet the workforce needs of employers and individuals seeking improved skills and workplace advancement. To foster strong workforce skills development initiatives, Minnesota West has secured and facilitated $3,657,500 in Minnesota Job Skills Partnership funding, which supports specialized workforce training initiatives for 14 distinct employers training nearly 3,210 employees.
Employer partners actively participate on program advisory committees and the President’s Advisory Council providing curriculum direction and insight on most critical workforce needs and trends. Local business donations and state funding has allowed Minnesota West to introduce four new degree programs, including health IT, pharmacy technician, mechatronics, and welding and re-established the carpentry and precision machining programs all to meet workforce gaps. Nursing is one of the largest programs at Minnesota West, holding the top Minnesota State licensure passing rate for LPN preparing programs in the state.
Minnesota West is reaching into the community and preserving local industries through three distinct program areas of small business management, farm business management, and lamb and wool management. These programs reach more than 600 small and family businesses in the region by focusing on their business and family goals, maintaining solid records for business and tax planning, as well as offer an emphasis on transition planning.
The lamb and wool program at Minnesota West is unique to any program in Minnesota with instructors providing quality sheep production education. Farmers in the program benefit from an unbiased instructor coming to their farms to give recommendations for improving production practices through improved feeding systems, animal housing and handling, as well as nutritional and animal health.
Minnesota West is intimately woven into the social, economic, educational, and family fabric of southwest Minnesota.
Link to PDF file of Economic Contribution Analysis of Minnesota West