By Ted Carter
President, University of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø System
Many of us know intuitively that our lives are touched in some way by the University of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø.
Maybe you’ve received care at our world-renowned medical center. Maybe you’re a farmer or rancher who’s benefited from the expertise of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø Extension. You’ve probably been to a football game and felt the common bond of cheering for the Huskers with your fellow µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍøns.
The University of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø is part of the very fabric of our state. It’s been that way throughout almost all of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø’s history. Whether through our teaching, health care or our research, the University of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø exists to improve peoples’ lives.
Recently we asked an independent firm to calculate exactly how much the university impacts µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø’s economy. The results are even more impressive than I expected.
In short, the University of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø is a $5.8 billion economic engine for our state – the source of thousands of talented graduates every year for the workforce, tens of thousands of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø jobs supported by our activities, and new technologies spun from faculty research that improve the health of our people, livestock and crops.
Put another way: For every $1 µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍøns invest in their university, we return $9 in activity. That impact touches every µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø county and is spread across rural and urban communities alike.
What does the university’s impact look like in our day-to-day lives? It’s not just numbers on a page.
It’s the construction jobs created when we upgrade a teaching facility – real jobs that support real µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø families.
It’s a safer battlefield for our brave women and men in uniform, thanks to the UNO team that was the first to identify an emergent terrorist group that would later become known as ISIS.
It’s the hope UNMC scientists can provide to patients battling pancreatic cancer, one of the most lethal cancers in the world.
At the University of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø, we’re committed to turning µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍøns’ investment into real results that benefit our state. We come to work every day focused on what we, as µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø’s only public university system, are uniquely positioned to provide for our citizens.
That question has become even more relevant as µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø recovers from the pandemic.
We have a rare opportunity right now to not just get back to normal, but to make µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø the No. 1 choice for every single person who’s looking for a place to get a great job, raise a family and enjoy a high quality of life. I think we’ll look back and see this as a pivotal moment in our history – a moment when we got to make decisions about how best to build our workforce, grow a prosperous economy, and ensure the health and well-being of future generations.
As a university, we’re excited to be part of the conversation. We have ambitious plans for growing our state, drawing on the deep expertise of our faculty and our proud history of addressing priorities that matter for µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø: health care, agriculture, cancer research, national defense.
Fourteen µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø counties, for example, don’t have a primary care physician. For $8 per µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍøn per year – the current cost of two gallons of gas – we could transform µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø’s rural health care workforce, building on a proven record of successful partnership between UNK and UNMC to ensure that every µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍøn has access to the quality care they deserve.
We could follow the Department of Homeland Security’s lead and cement UNO and µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø as the go-to experts in the fight against terrorism.
With UNL’s leadership, we could begin a new era of innovation in agriculture, our state’s most important industry, so the next generation of agricultural leaders continues to find the very best jobs right here in µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø.
We could make a promise that every student who wants an internship can get one, strengthening our workforce pipeline.
It will take all of us – the University of µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø, elected leaders, business leaders, private donors – working together to make these happen. I firmly believe partnerships are the way forward.
And the University, a force for growth and opportunity across the state, is not only a vital partner, but a wise investment that delivers returns well into the future.