Posts tagged economy
Flagler College releases economic impact study
Sep 27th
Flagler College has more than 3,000 alumni working in the Greater Jacksonville community and contributed $218 million to the area during the 2010-2011 fiscal year, according to a recent study.
The economic impact study was produced for the college by EconImpact LLC of Louisville, Ky., 
one of the leading providers of economic impact studies for private colleges. The purpose of the report was to detail the ways in which Flagler College contributes both directly and indirectly to the local economy.
According to the report, during the 2010-2011 fiscal year, Flagler College contributed $218 million to the Greater Jacksonville area, including St. Johns, Duval, Flagler, Baker, Clay and Nassau counties. The college, along with its employees, students and visitors, were responsible for $179 million; alumni contributed $24 million in increased earnings and $12 million in social benefits due to positive lifestyle choices.
The City of St. Augustine treasury received a $343,214 net benefit due to the presence of Flagler College. St. Johns County received a $2.7 million net benefit.
Some other highlights of the report:
• The college provided full and part-time employment opportunities for 412 people.
• There are 3,045 working Flagler alumni in the Metro Jacksonville area.
• The Flagler College community contributed $188,482 in community service activities in 2011: $101,764 by Flagler students and $86,718 by Flagler employees. Flagler College students participated in 7,428 hours of community service in Metro Jacksonville.
• Visitors who came to St. Augustine because of Flagler College brought more than $18 million in new money to Greater Jacksonville in 2011
• The direct spending by the college, its employees, students and visitors was $78 million. This money was spent and re-spent several times in the community. The amount of the turnover was $100.7 million in 2011.
“The college produces alumni who earn more than individuals who did not complete a degree in higher education,” said Kevin Stokes, who wrote the final study. “The college provides employment opportunities, not only through jobs on campus, but also through jobs generated by business the college and its members conduct locally.”
For the full report, visit http://www.flagler.edu/news/current_news/FLAGLER-ECONOMIC-IMPACT-REPORT-2012.pdf
Source: Flagler College
Bloomberg editor to speak on 2012 election at Flagler College forum
Sep 1st
With November inching closer, the 2012 election race is beginning to reach its boiling point.
Mark Silva, deputy managing editor for government news at Bloomberg News
in Washington, believes the race may come down to the wire with states such as Florida being the decision makers.
“Florida’s long-fought 2000 election is what decided that election,” said Silva, who will kick off Flagler College’s 2012 Forums on Government and Public Policy lecture series at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11 in the Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College. “Florida again will be among a handful of states that determine the outcome this year.”
The topic of Silva’s talk will be “Election 2012: Too Close to Call?”
At Bloomberg since 2010, Silva oversees a team of reporters and editors covering the White House, Congress and the 2012 election campaign, as well as other agencies such as State, Defense, Justice and the Supreme Court.
According to Silva, the upcoming election will be close despite playing out against the backdrop of a struggling economy and more than three years of unemployment running at over 8 percent.
“Presidents have not typically been reelected in modern times with that much unemployment,” said Silva. “Yet President Barack Obama enjoys a high degree of personal popularity — the public’s favorable view of him exceeding the job approval ratings he gets. At the same time, Romney is a disciplined and also well-financed candidate backed by super-PACs whose fundraising and TV ads have enabled the Republicans to go toe-to-toe with Obama on the air.”
And while Silva believes that economic factors and demographics across the country will play a part in who wins the 2012 election, it will be the voters in swing states such as Florida that will make the difference.
“Florida is a true swing state,” said Silva. “They voted for Obama in 2008, George W. Bush twice, Bill Clinton for reelection in 1996 but not election in 1992, George H.W. Bush twice, Ronald Reagan twice, Jimmy Carter once, but not for reelection.”
Silva says voters should also keep an eye on North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Nevada and Ohio.
“The economy is better in Ohio than it is nationally, and even in Florida, which has suffered among the worst
in the collapse of the housing market, the economy has shown signs of improvement,” said Silva. “Ultimately, the way voters feel about their own economy in these swing states, and what they’ve decided about all this negative TV advertising, will determine who wins the White House.”
Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College is at 14 Granada St. in St Augustine. Forums are free and open to the public, but seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign language interpreters are provided. Call (904) 819-6400 for more information or visit the Forum on Government & Public Policy events website.
Source: Flagler College
Stevenson aims to help students in the job market
Jul 10th
Finding a job in a stifled economy can be a difficult task, especially for students about to graduate college. Flagler College’s new Director of Career Services, Tara Stevenson, is trying to make the process a little less daunting.
“While we’re not a placement office, we can give students all the resources and tools so they can utilize them to take their next step,” said Stevenson, who is beginning her fourth year at the college. “Whether it’s for a job search or to find out more about where the student would like to go and then ultimately help them build that network to get them there, we can help.”
Stevenson said Flagler College’s career services department offers plenty of opportunities for the student interested in preparing for the real world. From one-on-one services, to events and fairs featuring employers and graduate schools. Stevenson said she’s even planning on hosting an event in September that will bring 50 law schools to the Flagler campus.
And the dark cloud of a bad economy shouldn’t overwhelm students, says Stevenson, who has also spent time as a student life and leadership development specialist in higher education. Employers are hiring.
“We have so many connections to different employers in this office who are coming to us saying ‘We need people,'” she said. “Whether it’s volunteering, creating a relationship with someone so they can use them as a reference, an internship or an actual job, employers are looking.”
As the new director of the department, Stevenson said she would like to get more involved in the classrooms, offering specific help for individual majors.
“Students spend four or five years here and they’re so immersed in their major and their studies and sometimes career services is an afterthought,” Stevenson said.
She adds that her goal is to fine-tune programs already in place such as Thursdays with Employers, which brings an employer to campus each week. Stevenson says that turning events like these into bigger successes sometimes involves changing the mindset of the students.
“I want students to see these events as less of a ‘Oh this person is on campus, I need to go get a job’ and more of a ‘Oh this person is on campus, how can I work with them? How can I network with them?’ ” Stevenson said. “Students need to know that they can utilize us while they’re still here and not just when they’re getting ready to leave us for the real world.”
Source: Flagler College
