< Previous76 M I S S OU RI : M A K I N G . G R O W I N G . M O V I N G .CREATING THE TALENT OF TOMORROW U N I V E R S I T Y P R O F I L E Sissouri understands that an educated and trained workforce is essential to success. And Missouri’s four-year universities are training a skilled workforce to drive innovation and build a modern, cutting edge economic environment. No matter where you look in the state, Missouri talent is being developed for the industries and companies that are leading Missouri into the future.On the western side of the state, by S T EP HEN VO TAWMissouri’s four-year universities are educating and training the workforce of tomorrow. Two-year colleges and universitieslllllllllllllllllllllllSt. Charles Community CollegeSLCC Florissant ValleySLCC Forest ParkSLCC MeramecSLCC WildwoodJefferson CollegeMineral Area CollegeThree Rivers Community CollegeMissouri State University-West PlainsOzarks Technical Community CollegeCrowder CollegeCottey CollegeEast Central CollegeLinn State Technical CollegeState Fair Community CollegeMCC Penn ValleyMCC LongviewMCC Blue RiverMCC Maple WoodsNorth Central Missouri CollegeMoberly Area Community CollegeMCC Business & TechnologyTwo-year Colleges & UniversitiesM I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG . 77the Kansas City region boasts numerous world-class institutions including Park University, in Parkville, William Jewell College, in Independence, and Rockhurst and Avila Universities in Kansas City. Slightly north of Kansas City, Missouri’s St. Joseph region is home to Northwest Missouri State University, in Maryville, and Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.Meanwhile, on the eastern edge of Missouri, the St. Louis region is home to Lindenwood University, in St. Charles, Saint Louis University and Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis City, and Missouri Baptist University, Maryville University Webster University, the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Fontbonne University in St. Louis County.Also, northwest of St. Louis in Northern Missouri’s Hannibal/Kirksville region are the colleges of Truman State University, in Kirksville, Culver-Stockton College, in Canton, and Hannibal-LaGrange College, in Hannibal. Central Missouri is also home to numerous world-class colleges. Central Methodist University, in Fayette, William Woods and Westminster College, in Fulton, Lincoln University, in Jefferson City, Missouri S&T, in Rolla, and Stephens and Columbia College’s in Columbia, all call the region home.In the southern half of Missouri the Sedalia/Warrensburg region is home to Missouri Valley College, in Marshall, and University of Central Missouri, in Warrensburg. The Joplin region is home to Missouri Southern State University, in Joplin. And finally, Missouri’s Springfield region is home to College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Southwest Baptist University, in Bolivar, and Drury and Evangel Universities, in Springfield. Four-year Colleges & UniversitiesFour-Year Colleges and UniversitiesllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllNorthwest Missouri State UniversityTruman State UniversityCulver-Stockton CollegeHannibal-LaGrange CollegeLindenwood UniversityUniversity of Missouri-St. LouisWashington University in St. LouisFontbonne UniversitySaint Louis UniversityHarris-Stowe State UniversityWebster UniversityMissouri Baptist UniversityMaryville University of Saint LouisMissouri Western State UniversityWilliam Jewell CollegeMissouri Valley CollegeCentral Methodist UniversityLincoln UniversityMissouri University of Science & TechnologySouthwest Baptist UniversityCollege of the OzarksDrury UniversityMissouri SouthernState UniversitySoutheast Missouri State UniversityMissouri State UniversityEvangel UniversityUniversity of MissouriColumbia CollegeWestminsterCollegeStephens CollegeWilliam WoodsUniversityPark UniversityAvila UniversityUniversity ofCentral MissouriUniversity of Missouri-Kansas City Rockhurst University78 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .ENGINEERINGU N I V E R S I T Y P R O F I L E M I S S O UR I S& To nd top engineering talent in the Show-Me State, all one needs to do is look around. With institutions like the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, turning out 2,525 graduates a year — 84 percent of which are engineering graduates — there’s a veritable army of engineering talent in the state. Missouri S&T consistently earns accolades and high-marks among the top schools in the state. USA Today ranked Missouri S&T as No. 3 in the top 10 schools in the US for an engineering degree — placing it among the top 1 percent of universities in the country that o er the degree. College Factual has also rated the school as a top choice for veterans and gave it a “great price” rating. e university is focused on four signature research areas: advanced manufacturing, advanced materials for sustainable infrastructure, enabling materials for extreme environments and smart living. Innovation and entrepreneurship are key goals at the university. A variety of programs, including the Student Business Incubator Program, support students as they pursue innovative ideas and their own small businesses. Robert Schwartz, professor of Materials Science and Engineering and economics, notes the school’s strong emphasis on STEM disciplines distinguishes the university from others around the state. “We are among a handful of STEM-focused institutions in the nation, and that emphasis provides opportunities to serve Missouri and Missourians with innovative, technology-focused approaches to solve some of our most critical issues, from infrastructure and advanced manufacturing to energy and environmental sustainability,” he says. In order to help meet the workforce needs of the future, the university created a Corporate Relations o ce, which partners with employers throughout the state to facilitate recruitment of the university’s graduates, while also promoting research and educational o erings. e university also hosts one the largest career fairs in the Midwest. e career fair in the fall of 2017 brought 307employers from around the world to the campus, with 122 of those being companies from Missouri and more by S AVAN NAH K I N GTM I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG . 79than 2,500 students and alumni. John Eash, executive director of the corporate relations office, notes the office serves primarily to help connect industry with the university and to strengthen those partnerships. “The office has helped Missouri employers hire talented students, conduct research to advance their technical expertise and educate their employees through world class degree and non-degree programs. We have increased existing company relationships and engagement on campus and have connected new companies with student recruitment, research and distance education opportunities. We have also made it easier for companies to do businesses with Missouri S&T.”One of the university’s long-standing partners is The Boeing Company, whose relationship stretches back to the 1960s. Missouri S&T is one of two universities that provide the company’s engineering employees with state-of-the-art graduate education program in systems engineering. The program started 13 years ago and has since seen 376 Boeing employees to receive an M.S. degree from Missouri S&T. The program is also open to non-Boeing engineers and currently has more than 20 other companies participating in its systems engineering programs. More than 2,600 Missouri S&T graduates have been employed by the aerospace company over the years. “Missouri S&T’s focus on STEM education means that we are preparing many of the knowledge workers that our state will depend on for future economic success,” says Schwartz. “Missouri S&T is preparing our state’s future scientists, engineers and tech-savvy business leaders and communicators in fields like information technology, computing, bioengineering, business and technical communication.” Missouri S&T yearly graduates: 2,525Missouri S&T yearlyengineering graduates: 2,121 (84 percent of all graduates)Students enjoy the Missouri S&T campus.Photo courtesy of Missouri S&T80 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .STUDYSTUDYU N I V E R S I T Y P R O F I L E S O U TH E A S T M I S S O U R I S T A TE U N IV ER S I T YSoutheast Missouri State University is growing business, opportunity and collaboration. rops aren’t the only thing sprouting from Missouri’s fertile elds. Talented minds, innovation and technology are bountiful at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. Located in the state’s bootheel with nearly , farms, the region is growing more than percent of the state’s agricultural products — to the tune of about $ . billion in annual production. Over the last years, there has been a percent increase in ag-related jobs in Missouri’s bootheel region. Southeast Missouri State University is helping the industry continue to grow and innovate through its Economic and Business Engagement Center and its new Agriculture Technology Virtual Incubation program. e engagement center aims by S AVAN NAH K I N GCPhotos courtesy of Southeast Missouri State University FIELD OF M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG . 81to helps businesses through workforce development and to help entrepreneurs in the region. The agtech program offers producers and innovators access to agriculture technology and support. “The central purpose of this initiative is to find new opportunities to encourage innovation and offer support to the agriculture industry, a sector that is vitally important to the regional economy,” said Economic and Development Engagement Center Director Crystal Jones. “The incorporation and use of technological advancements in agriculture operations are playing a larger role in the region’s agriculture industry. We want to assist small businesses, including those in the agriculture industry, with capitalizing on these opportunities by providing additional services and expertise.”With 12,000 students annually and more than 145 undergraduate and 75 graduate programs and more than 100 certificate programs, Southeast provides students with countless opportunities to advance in their careers. The university offers several undergraduate degree programs in agribusiness, science, technology and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Southeast is currently the only university in the state to offer a bachelor’s degree in UAS and recently crossed state lines to partner with Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, which is a leading education institution in the new field of study. The two schools aim to leverage their partnership to improve education, workforce training and development and applied research across the shared region. UAS technology has a broad range of potential across several industries including precision agriculture, geospatial applications and health care. Jones notes the economic impact of UAS integration in Missouri through 2050 is expected to reach nearly $1.6 billion, create 1,978 jobs and generate more than $10 million in tax revenue. Southeast has also recently partnered with TG Missouri, an automotive parts supplier in Perryville, Missouri, to create a bachelor’s degree tailored to the company’s supervisory and management personnel. Employees can take advantage of Southeast’s affordable tuition rates, and the company’s reimbursement program, to earn their degree online while they continue to work. “I think of this as a success story,” Jones says. “We, as an institution, really listened to industry and what their needs were, and we were able to design a degree program that met that need. I think a lot of times, four-year institutions take a bit of a bad rap for not responding to industry needs. This is an instance where TG came to us and said, ‘This is what we want.’ And we said, ‘We’ll deliver.’ And we were able to put several elements in place to make it happen.” 82 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .by S AVAN NAH K I N Gs one of the leading medical research universities in the country, Missouri has a major advantage in Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL). WUSTL consistently ranks among the top universities as it related to medicine, entrepreneurship, business and more. U.S. News & World Report ranked the university No. in medical research schools in . e Princeton Review ranked it No. out of the top schools for entrepreneurs. Almost , degrees were awarded by the university in - . Total enrolment for the university is , . Some of the university’s most prominent areas of study are medical, environmental, plant science and innovation and entrepreneurial research. e university has more than , research projects annually. And in , the university issued invention disclosures. “We have excellent professional and undergrad education programs and research associates,” says Holden orp, provost of WUSTL. “And we are focused on making those AWashington University in St. Louis is committed to strengthening scientifi c knowledge. U N I V E R S I T Y P R O F I L E W A S HI NG T ON U NI V E R S I T Y A LEADER IN A LEADER INMEDICAL RESEARCHMEDICAL RESEARCHPhoto: Getty ImagesM I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .83programs as strong as we can make them, but also making sure that they bene t St. Louis and Missouri in whatever ways we can. We’re driving entrepreneurship and innovation in St. Louis and we’ve had a lot of success with that.” e university is committed to advancing scienti c knowledge and working to advance the St. Louis biotech and startup community notes orp. In , the university was instrumental in the foundation of the Cortex Innovation Community, a -acre innovation hub and technology district in St. Louis’ Central West End neighborhood. Cortex serves as the region’s anchor for its ecosystem of innovative startups in the medical, biotech and life science elds. More than companies currently call the community home. “ ere are a lot of talented people in our university, both faculty and students. Much of the know-how and innovation that exists in health care today is being created by our researchers.”Research coming out of the university has included some of the most impactful and life-saving medical milestones. Researchers with the university developed screening tests that are used around the world to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, were among the rst to use insulin in the treatment of diabetes and published the rst evidence connecting lung cancer and cigarette smoking. Current researchers are working toward understanding and treating the Zika virus, Alzheimer’s, stroke, heart disease and many other health conditions. In addition to training students at the university’s School of Medicine, the Washington University Medical Center is a cornerstone of the St. Louis health care community. Located adjacent to St. Louis’ famed Forest Park, the -acre medical center is home to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital and the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center. More than , employees work at the combined medical center institutions. WUSTL’s historic Danforth Campus, which is home to most of the university’s academic programs, is located a short distance away on St. Louis’ western border. “There are a lot of talented people in our university, both faculty and students. Much of the know-how and innovation that exists in health care today is being created by our researchers.” — Holden Thorp84 M I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG .U N I V E R S I T Y P R O F I L E M I S S O U R I S T A TE U N IV ER S I T Yocated in Springfield, Missouri, in the heart of America, Missouri State ranks among America’s top colleges, according to Forbes magazine. The university was named among the best in the Midwest by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report.Founded in 1905 as a teachers college, Missouri State continues to offer world-class opportunities to students and staff. Prominent areas of study include agriculture, computer science, business and education. The university offers more than 180 bachelor’s degree programs, 10 of which can be completed entirely online, providing students with countless opportunities to advance in their careers.by S T EP HEN VO TAWLA PUBLIC AFFAIRS LEADER IN THE HEART OF AMERICAM I S S OU RI : M A K I NG . G R O W I NG . MO V I NG . 85“We have more new undergraduate students than ever before, including the most new transfer students ever and the most underrepresented students ever,” said Clif Smart, president of Missouri State University. “In fact, we have more transfer students than any other public university in our state. Students want to come here, and that’s a good thing.”In 1995, Missouri State’s statewide mission in public affairs was signed into law. The mission asks students, faculty and staff to consider what they learn in the context of their role as citizens. It encompasses three pillars of public affairs: ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement. Faculty and staff have worked to integrate the mission so students understand how their actions affect society at large.With more than 26,000 students enrolled annually, Missouri State is the second largest university in the state. The university offers much to do outside the classroom as well. Students can join more than 300 campus organizations, pledge with numerous fraternities and sororities, and help others through the school’s community service programs, such as Bears Bringing Hope, which raises funds to help natural disaster victims, among other activities. And when it comes to sports, Missouri State is home to 17 NCAA Division I teams with 58 NCAA championship appearancesIn addition to its main campus, Missouri State developed an urban innovation park in Springfield called IDEA Commons. It’s a collaborative community effort — bringing together corporations, the University, lofts, non-profits and retail space in a downtown community where people from all walks of life can live, shop, learn, create and work. 58 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES26,000 STUDENTS ENROLLED ANNUALLY2NDLARGEST UNIVERSITY IN THE STATE. 17 NCAA DIVISION I TEAMSWITH MORE THAN 300CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONSMISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY IS HOME TO:Next >