THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 30, 1994 TAG: 9409300024
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
SOURCE: By LARRY L. WHITWORTH
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
Construction begins this month on the downtown Norfolk campus of Tidewater Community College.
Less than $30 million will be invested in building and equipping four separate college-campus buildings to accommodate 8,000 to 10,000 individual students.
Construction will take approximately two years and will generate many jobs during that time. After it opens, the college will annually inject between $8 million and $12 million into the Norfolk economy. Our research also suggests that, in addition, $5 million will be retained in the local economy each year because of the many students who will attend Tidewater Community College rather than travel beyond Hampton Roads for the first two years of their college experience.
One could explore in detail how these college-generated dollars will affect the local economy. But while the projected annual economic impact of more than $30 million each year is significant to the community, the greater impact of the Norfolk campus will be the opportunity it will provide to area students for higher education, a new life, hope and lifelong personal growth.
I am frequently asked what percentage of TCC students are in occupational programs. Almost all the students attending Tidewater Community College, Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University and Virginia Wesleyan College are in school for occupational reasons. Almost every student hopes that his or her educational experience will provide opportunity for both personal growth and future economic success. More than two-thirds of TCC students plan to continue on for a bachelor's degree.
I submit, however, that of all students attending all area colleges, TCC students will have the greater economic impact on Norfolk. Why? Most community-college students remain in the area where they are educated. They live here, work here, shop here, raise children here and enjoy the area's many leisure pursuits.
Who attends Tidewater Community College? The age of the average TCC student is 29.5. About 20 percent are 18 to 22 - the traditional-college student.
Because our students are older, more mature and make their homes here, TCC tends to be a serious learning environment each year for more than 27,000 people of all ages and backgrounds. Seventy-five percent of our students attend part time. Approximately 85 percent work either full- or part time to support themselves and, in most cases, their families.
Peter Drucker, in his book New Realities, states that today the only true capital is knowledge. Individuals in ever-increasing numbers are recognizing that to have the opportunity to participate in this society they must possess knowledge, skills and experience.
Companies and jobs have become transient and are often short-lived. Only individuals with a broad knowledge base and the ability and eagerness to learn and to adapt to a changing environment will continue to be economically secure in the long run.
The Norfolk campus of Tidewater Community College will enable tens of thousands of nearby residents to develop this broad knowledge base so that they can continue as lifelong learners while contributing much to the economic strength and vitality of this region. MEMO: Dr. Whitworth is president of Tidewater Community College.Dr. Whitworth
is president of Tidewater Community College.
by CNB