Sneak Peek: December “News from Hope” Column on Hope’s Economic Impact
Working in higher education is a unique experience for many reasons, but chief among them may be the opportunity to live in a community that includes a college or university. There is something special about living in a college town. Businesses, events, people and opportunities to learn exist in college towns that don’t exist in other places.
The value of living in a college town is personal opinion for some and researched fact for others. Blake Gumprecht, author and associate professor of geography at the University of New Hampshire, has found that college towns have higher median family incomes and lower unemployment while at the same time being comparatively cosmopolitan, drawing residents from other states at a rate twice as high as other places.
At Hope College, we are especially proud to call the greater Holland area home. Faculty, staff and students love to live here and alumni around the world fondly remember days and nights spent at the beach, downtown, or at a favorite coffee shop. In this issue you can read about the recent study that quantified the relationship between Hope and the local economy.
In talking with community leaders about the study, many were impressed by the annual $213 million impact, but not at all surprised. They have seen students, faculty and staff serve in the community, but now know that together they volunteer more than 127,000 hours each year. They have seen students frequent their stores and shops, but now know that the average student spends more than $1,300 a year at local businesses.
In the end, the study simply quantified what many Holland area residents experience first hand. In today’s economy it is helpful to measure the financial impact of a college town, but those that have lived in one know that the total impact is, in fact, priceless.
