> Build
Studying the economic impact
of vital Lowndes facilities
T
By Terry Richards
hree of the biggest economic engines for
Lowndes County are not, in themselves,
commercial operations. Rather, they can be
considered to be in the services sector — vital
services.
Valdosta State University, South Georgia Medical
Center and Moody Air Force Base contribute thousands
of jobs and millions of dollars to the local economy.
According to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber
of Commerce, the three institutions rank as the leading
employers in the county.
> Valdosta State University
Valdosta’s center of higher education began in
1913 as South Georgia State Normal College, a two-
year school for girls that began with one building, 18
students and an emphasis on training teachers.
At its opening, the costs of attending South Georgia
State Normal College were listed in an introductory
pamphlet as:
• Annual matriculation fee: $10 (at a time when the
average annual income was $1,300).
• Books and stationary: $8-10.
• Board, lodging and laundry: $12 per month.
• Laboratory fees: $1-4 a year.
Jump forward 106 years, through expansion, co-
education and name changes, when in-state tuition at
Valdosta State University starts at just more than $2,700
for 15 class hours for one semester, before meal plans,
on-campus housing and other fees are even considered.
With room and board added in, a freshman would be
paying more than $6,100 a semester, according to the
university’s rate charts.
20 percent of the
people living in
Valdosta — one
in five — are VSU
students. The total
economic impact
of the students
in 2018 was
$207,351,620.
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Trendsetters | Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce