Kendyl Hollingsworth

KENDYLH@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM

Opelika —

According to leaders at Auburn University, Southern Union State Community College, and Opelika City School, the region’s education is moving in a positive direction at all levels.

The Opelika Chamber of Commerce invited experts at its “Business Over Breakfast” event on September 7 to hear a panel discussion on the state of education featuring Dr. Chris Roberts, President of Auburn University . Southern Union President Todd Shackett. and Dr. Farrell Seymour, superintendent of the school system in the city of Opelika.

Topics ranged from admissions and student preparation, to cutting-edge programs, and partnerships with local businesses and industry.

“Dr. Seymour’s students will become Mr. Shackett’s and Dr. Roberts’ students, so it’s important to know that they’re all working together. So it’s very important that we all stay connected.” at the Alabama State Board of Education.

Admissions and Student Engagement

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit enrollments everywhere, but leaders said enrollments are picking up again thanks to the positive reputation of schools and communities.

“Many families have moved over the last few years and our enrollment has increased, as evidenced by the fact that we have a new school right down the street here at Foxrun,” he said. Seymour said. “It will be sixth grade school. It’s an exciting time to be in Opelika because of the great jobs and the economy and the great schools we offer.”

Accessibility and affordability are likely two of the biggest draws to two-year colleges, Shackett says. In the case of Southern Union, enrollment increased in 2019 for the first time in about eight years, and after a period of decline, it is on an upward trend again.

“We’ve seen a significant decline [during the pandemic], it hurts,” Shackett said. “But we are on track this year — not until 2019, but very close. I think you should understand.”

Seymore noted that Opelika students and their families are ready for the resumption of “normal” classes and other aspects of student life, and that is true for higher education students as well.

Southern Union places more emphasis on student life and has hired a student life coordinator to oversee several clubs and activities, Shackett said. We’ve added cross-country and hope to add soccer in the near future.

Shacket hosts a monthly “Pizza with the President” on each of its three campuses, attended by about 10-12 students at a time. He hosts luncheons similar to those of faculty. The goal is to get to know each other and get feedback on what is working and what can be improved.

“A lot of the improvement you see comes from input from students,” he said.

Auburn has seen a significant increase in applicants as the school’s brand and reputation have grown. This year marks the 150th anniversary of Auburn becoming a land grant agency. Roberts said part of the Land Grant College’s mission is to serve the people of the state.

“This is the essence of the Land Grant mission: to not only educate people, but to ensure that knowledge is put into practice within the community. I think many students are drawn to that.” he said. He said.

In fact, Roberts said Auburn’s reputation is causing “growing pains.” The freshman class had about 55,000 applications and only about 5,000 slots, yet in-state students make up more than half of the class.

“Our board has effectively mandated that at least 60 percent of our freshman class be Alabama residents, and I’m really proud of that action,” he said. “This is what helps ensure we are serving the state.”

Preparing students for the future

All three leaders discussed various services that prepare students to contribute to their communities.

Seymore emphasized Opelika High School’s career technical programs, especially the engineering program. Students work hard to hone their problem-solving skills while gaining a glimpse of the content of the field, but the various programs are not just for students who want to work in the field.

“The lessons learned in these courses are about hard work, dedication, and opportunities beyond high school,” he explained. In providing technology, it is about giving someone an interest or skill that will lead to a better life, better employment opportunities, etc. Indeed, our engineering path is meant to do just that.”

Speaking of Southern Union, Shackett explained how the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) program helps students become leaders in manufacturing. Students in this program are recruited by companies before coming to campus. They dedicate Tuesdays and Thursdays to classes and work Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

“The last three people who graduated — just by looking at them, you can see they’re making a difference in this community,” he said. “… [Students in the program] These are the people who will lead these community industries for years to come. ”

Research at Auburn University is booming, said Roberts. According to Roberts, whether it’s discovering new opportunities in agriculture or forestry, or engineering and psychology students working together to revolutionize mental health care, Auburn students and faculty are always purposeful. I aim to do research.

For example, researchers at the Auburn School of Veterinary Medicine have made breakthroughs in the treatment of Tay-Sachs disease by studying how it affects cats. This discovery was used to treat young children at Massachusetts General Hospital.

“I am deeply moved by the fact that we were able to save the life of this young child using technology developed here in Auburn, Alabama, and how they can implement this for other children. I don’t know.I think it’s more rewarding for faculty at Auburn University to know that the work we’re doing is improving people’s lives in that way,” says Roberts. “We want our students to have these experiences so they can take the knowledge and good work ethic they learned on campus and translate it into the communities in which they live. ”

Helping students succeed and making a positive impact on society is one of the most rewarding parts of the job, according to Roberts and Shackett.

“I’ve seen some underdogs who think they have no place to do incredibly big things with their lives,” Shackett said. “…there are so many stories like that. To me, it’s really like, ‘If you really want it, we’re here, and we can help you get it. ” is the essence.

Connect to the community

Many students dream of moving for college or career, but leaders want to inform students of the many opportunities that await them locally.

As part of that effort, we partner with local businesses and invite them to classes and job fairs. In Auburn, Roberts said greater efforts have been made to showcase local businesses at the fair and “ensure that talent stays here.”

“The week before the big career fair on campus, we talked about holding a local career fair. I think it’s the type of thing that has challenged us to create opportunities for our own communities,” he added.

Shackett said one of the reasons many Southern Union students choose to stay in the area is that many are first-generation or non-traditional students who already have roots in the area. is. .

“While they were studying here, [they can] Working for some of these local businesses, working in hospitals, they’ve built relationships with their employers and it’s no surprise…they want to stay.

All three leaders touched on the importance of maintaining connections with local businesses to assess community needs and for educators to better prepare students for their role.

OHS offers a “career preparation” course that teaches students about the cost of living and how to meet those needs, Seymore said. With that knowledge, he said, students can better understand how a career in town can provide them with everything they need to reach their goals.

For students who want to get a job right out of high school, OHS offers a ‘ready to work’ program to help them develop job skills and introduce them to potential employers.

“I think we are the envy of Alabama when it comes to business and industry. [students] It helps a lot to know those opportunities exist,” he said. “We let them know about it and actually take a lot of students on these tours so they can see locally what we have to offer.”

Overall, Roberts says the transformation from “wide-eyed freshmen” to confident graduates is always a sight to behold.

“I like to think that I am giving my students the chance to dream their biggest dreams, and I am so excited to be a part of that,” said Roberts. “It’s very exciting for me.”