This commentary is by Suresh V. Garimella, the 27th president of the University of Vermont.
As the state’s land grant university, the University of Vermont has a solemn responsibility to engage with and support the people, communities and businesses in all 14 counties of Vermont.
The health of our citizens and the economy that supports them is among the three strategic imperatives we announced during my first months at UVM, in the plan we call Amplifying Our Impact.
Why is our responsibility to Vermont an imperative? Because in 1862, with the Civil War raging, national leaders — including Vermont’s own U.S. Sen. Justin Morrill — acted boldly to strengthen state economies for the long term, designating federal resources to each state for a college devoted to education with clear public benefit.
The dusty 19th-century language is awkward to us now: “…in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes…” But the numbers show the Morrill Land Grant Act was all about something we now call competitiveness.
Among the few requirements for the new colleges were education in agriculture and in engineering (then called “the mechanic arts”). The new colleges would prepare graduates for contemporary careers — a major departure from the established model of classical education long pursued by the upper classes. Perhaps it was Morrill’s heritage as the son of a blacksmith that inspired him to think practically about higher education’s potential in the young nation.
After the Morrill Act passed, the U.S. went from a total of 300 engineering graduates in 1866 to almost triple that number four years later. The numbers grew tenfold by 1911, with the U.S. producing 3,000 engineering graduates per year, outpacing even Germany.
Within 50 years of the Morrill Act’s passage, the U.S. had become the world leader in technical education — a rare and critically important example of a direct connection between federal policy and unmitigated success. Our university’s growth tracked that impressive expansion of applied learning.
Fast-forward to 2021. UVM is still producing well-rounded engineers, but our role in building Vermont’s economy is much, much broader. Our graduates with expert training in “the mechanic arts” are crucial to the success of today’s high-tech industries. Students focused on agriculture and the environment, on health sciences, and across the liberal arts are helping address the multifaceted challenges our state faces.
And as the pandemic continues to test us, the ingenuity and cooperation of people at UVM and throughout the state ensures our mission not only continues but has gained considerable momentum.
Stronger connections, deeper roots
On top of the long-established UVM Extension, the university is forming stronger connections than ever with employers and entrepreneurs through our Office of Engagement — a one-stop shop for all things UVM.
The engagement team has connected directly with more than 365 businesses in its inaugural year. Many have formed partnerships with the university centered on research, internships, and hiring our grads.
UVM has projects with enterprises from all over the state, including Seventh Generation, GlobalFoundries, Casella, Cabot/AgriMark, Agilent, National Life, Benchmark Space Systems and Ben & Jerry’s. In the nonprofit sector, the Office of Engagement helped with purification upgrades in 22 of Vermont’s public libraries, making them safer during the Covid-19 pandemic.
I’m particularly proud of a partnership UVM launched with the state last summer, Upskill Vermont. The program provided Vermonters with $1 million worth of UVM professional development courses and workshops focused on rapidly growing professions in health care, digital marketing, management and community support. Classes filled up in 24 hours, a sure sign that Vermonters are eager to master new skills and brush up on old ones.
Talent magnet
A complementary need for the state’s economic growth is a pipeline of talented, highly educated workers. UVM’s innovative, creative and ambitious grads — in high demand throughout the world — already constitute a major part of Vermont’s workforce and they are poised to become the leaders and business owners of the next generation.
Each year, more than 1,000 UVM graduates choose to stay in Vermont to begin their careers, start their families, and establish their lives. Over half come to UVM from other states, leading to a veritable brain gain. During their time on campus, they learn about opportunities through internships and summer jobs, grow fond of Vermont’s culture, community and healthy lifestyle, and can’t imagine starting their career anywhere else.
Finally, there is the overall economic activity of the university’s operations.
This “ongoing stimulus” comes in the form of direct spending on employees, programs and buildings, plus the indirect economic impact of the 13,500-plus UVM students who make the Burlington area their home for four years or more.
Our commitment to Vermont is even part of our diet. The “Vermont First” dining program, with its emphasis on locally sourced food, buys about $2 million worth of produce, meat, dairy and other ingredients from 95 Vermont farms and producers every year.
UVM simply couldn’t achieve its mission without the help of Vermont’s farmers, manufacturers, suppliers, skilled craftspeople, and many other entrepreneurs. A 2016 external study found the total financial impact of UVM in Vermont is more than $1.3 billion each year, a significant figure for our state and region.
What’s old is new
I talk frequently with Vermonters from across the state and beyond who ask what’s new at UVM.
What’s new is that our university is reaching out in powerful new ways to help Vermont’s citizens and businesses. These modern-day applications of our longstanding mission are critical to ensuring U.S. competitiveness in the 21st century while honoring the history and intentions of the Morrill Act.
UVM is enthusiastically leaning into our heritage as Vermont’s land-grant university, recognizing that the success of our state is inextricably linked to the success of UVM. In many ways, we are more committed to Vermont than ever before in our 230-year history.
We’re always looking for new ways to support Vermont and Vermonters. Please share your ideas with us at engageUVM@uvm.edu.
This commentary was initially published in the Rutland Herald/Times Argus “Vermont by Degrees” series.
