SPOTLIGHT > Gannon University, a Catholic, Diocesan university dedicated to excellence in teaching, scholarship and service, has reinforced its commitment to its students, faculty and the community in which it operates through various strategic goals. University President Dr. Keith Taylor spoke to the Business Magazine about some of the resulting initiatives, as well as how Gannon is ensuring value for students and stakeholders in an increasingly challenging economy. How are programs such as Erie GAINS benefitting our community? Gannon possesses such a strong set of assets in our students, faculty and staff — and we can and must share these assets by engaging fully in the daily lives of our neighbors for their benefit as well as our own. The Erie GAINS (Gannon Alliances to Improve Neighborhood Sustainability) initiative is at the heart of our strategic plan goal to engage in the community. It has had many significant successes, including great work toward improving educational attainment through partnership programs such as GO College, truancy initiatives and the Club Fit program. An annual cleanup and transformation of Gridley Park has been another point of pride, as has been the important work in health, social concerns, and wellness resulting from programs such as the Erie County Child Abuse Task Force.
VOL. X X VI, NO. 8 AUGUST 2013 Manufacturer & Business Association Board of Governors
Joel Berdine John Cline Dale Deist Bill Hilbert Jr. Mark Hanaway Donald Hester Timothy Hunter Paul Kenny J. Gordon Naughton Dennis Prischak Sue Sutto
Editor in Chief Ralph Pontillo rpontillo@mbausa.org Executive Editor John Krahe jkrahe@mbausa.org Managing Editor & Karen Torres Senior Writer ktorres@mbausa.org
In light of current concern about student loan debt and interest rates, what is Gannon doing to ensure value for students? Value, of course, is determined both by cost and by what one receives for one’s expenditure. Gannon’s strategic plan goal of fostering innovation is directed specifically at this issue: to ensure that access, affordability and the quality of the education our students receive, as well as the quality of the student experience they encounter here, are very high. For the past decade, we have maintained tuition costs in the bottom quartile of our peer group. We also offer a higher level of student financial aid on average than our peers, and 95 percent of our students receive some form of this aid. In a difficult economic climate, the decision to do these things is never financially easy for an organization, but it is a decision we gladly make in keeping with our mission.
What challenges does the university face in the coming years? The faculty and administration are taking necessary steps to preserve our mission of providing exceptional quality higher education to those who want and need it. The first goal of our strategic plan is designed to foster innovation, including new approaches to program development and delivery; supporting the learning needs of our current students; and imagining, designing and implementing more efficient, effective methods to expand our markets for existing programs and to reach new groups of learners, here in Erie and elsewhere across the country. We are exploring strategies to reduce the cost of service delivery while delivering improved services and better learning outcomes and career success.
Advertising Sales Patty Welther 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660 pwelther@mbausa.org
In order to meet the changing needs of current and future students, we have established a one-stop Student Success Center that provides advising, mentoring, tutorial services, career and experiential learning support. We have had early success in raising substantial funds for endowed scholarships, and have also been very successful with the recruitment of international students to Erie. What have been the most rewarding achievements that you’ve experienced during your tenure at Gannon? Our University community is growing in confidence and commitment to creative and innovative change that meets the dynamic environmental challenges that face us. We have begun to set our course for success by looking internally, and rightfully focusing our plans for transformation not only on our own University community, but on our efforts to transform our local, regional and global communities. Strategic reorganizations in several areas, including the new division of Student Development and Engagement, the International Student Center and an integrated team of marketing and communications, are already driving student-centered program expansions. Ultimately, our success is always measured in the success of our graduates. In May, we awarded 768 degrees at spring commencement. Each of those degrees represents the immeasurable contributions of a student services structure that provides a welcoming and stimulating campus environment, and our inspired and inspiring faculty, whose contributions extend beyond the classroom and into the community. What they — and our graduates — contribute to their communities is the ultimate measure of Gannon’s success and we are very proud of each of them and the tremendous impact Gannon is having in changing our world.
Contributing Writers
Joe Bione John W. Draskovic Len Eisenbeis Steve Findlay Jim McKibben, CLU Tungsten Creative
Drumheller Creative
Photography
Jessica McMathis Casey Naylon Karen Torres
Design, Production Printing Concepts Inc. & Printing printcon@erie.net
ON THE COVER: The Montessori Regional Charter School (MRCS) is a tuition-free, public school that enrolls students grades K through 6 throughout Erie County. With campuses in Millcreek and Erie, MRCS offers an educational approach that encourages learning from peers in a setting that offers individualized attention and involvement between teachers and parents. For full story, see page 10. Mission Statement The Manufacturer & Business Association is dedicated to providing information and services to its members that will assist them in the pursuit of their business and community interests. – Board of Governors Manufacturer & Business Association 2171 West 38th Street Erie, Pa. 16508 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660 www.mbausa.org © Copyright 2013 by the Manufacturer & Business Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial, pictorial or advertisements created for use in the Business Magazine, in any manner, without written permission from the publisher, is prohibited. Unsolicited manuscripts cannot be returned unless accompanied by a properly addressed envelope bearing sufficient postage. The magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork. The Business Magazine and Manufacturer & Business Association do not specifically endorse any of the products or practices described in the magazine. The Business Magazine is published monthly by the Manufacturer & Business Association, 2171 West 38th Street, Erie, Pa. 16508. Phone: 814/833-3200 or 800/815-2660.
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