West Virginia Executive Fall 2019 | Page 49

programming to the citizens of our service area, we at New River Community and Technical College analyzed what we are doing and why we are doing it with a critical eye toward making improvements. This examination led to the creation of an enrollment funnel that uses the concept of a sales funnel—a joint project between admissions, communications and faculty— and applies it to the college enrollment process. By analyzing each step from initial inquiries and completing an application to official admission and enrolling in classes, we ensure that prospective students receive information and support through- out the process. We also reviewed the effectiveness of our course offerings to make sure students can attend classes around work, children or other obligations. We recommitted to offering night classes, and we are looking at programs to offer in the evening. Rather than making late applicants wait until a new semester starts, we developed accelerated, online courses with a mid-semester start date. The above strategies are effective only if New River graduates can find meaningful employment in the area. Establishing relationships with employers and recruiting working profes- sionals on program advisory boards helps us determine the right mix of programs for the area and ensures the right skills are being taught. After all, we are committed to being the best college we can be so that as a college and as a region we can not only survive but thrive. Dr. Bob Gunter President Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College Editor’s Note: After submitting his challenge and solution for this feature, Dr. Bob Gunter retired from his position as president at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College. He will remain in an advisory capacity to the college’s board of governors until January 2020. Samuel Litteral has been named the acting interim president. CHALLENGE: Southern West Virginia is experiencing a rapidly aging demographic in need of reliable health care options and well-qualified health care workers. There is a dual need for workers as well as the programs offered through Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, but space and other constraints pose a challenge. SOLUTION: At Southern, we have long prided ourselves on providing a stellar education in health care-related fields. Most of the college’s allied health programs have an appli- cation-based admission process that sees far more qualified applicants than the college can accept due to space and budget constraints. The college has sought outside partnerships to help offset this challenge. For example, working with the Appala- chian Regional Hospital in South Williamson, KY, Southern is designing real-world hospital environments to expand our nursing, medical laboratory technology (MLT) and emergency medical technician (EMT) programs. This future expansion fosters the duality of a quality education while ensuring a health care workforce that is fully prepared and well qualified to serve its community. Through this partnership, it was identified that paramedic science/EMT is in great demand in the coalfields. In fall 2018, Southern began offering EMT classes at its Williamson campus, expanding each semester until the full program was offered at that location. Southern has written several federal and state grants to help offset the costs of expansion in regard to faculty salaries and program equipment. This will include converting a floor on our Williamson campus into a regional simulation lab, replicat- ing an authentic hospital setting complete with scenarios and conditions that will require immediate action, quick thinking and proper training. We are also seeking to provide our allied health and nursing students with the most technologically advanced environment possible. In spring 2019, we debuted our SynDaver, or synthetic cadaver, the most elaborate surgical simulator in the world, as well as laboratory equipment for our MLT program that will enable students to experience working with technology both at a theoretical and practical level that reflects the current direction of the field of laboratory diagnostics. Allowing students to train on equipment they’ll one day be operating will afford a seamless transition to their health care careers. Dr. Mirta Martin President Fairmont State University CHALLENGE: Population loss can be a self-perpetuating cycle that diminishes opportunities and facilitates a failure to retain young adults, which in turn lowers state revenues and tax bases, reduces financial resources and ultimately lowers opportunities. The question for us at Fairmont State University is how can we meet the needs of West Virginia communities and businesses amidst the declining population? SOLUTION: Fairmont State University is not only uniquely suited to address this challenge, but I think it has an obligation to do so. Colleges and universities don’t exist in vacuums. They are integral parts of the communities in which they exist, and those communities are their lifeblood. Higher education institutions cannot proceed with business as usual when the communities that surround them—and support them—are suffering. It is imperative that higher education institutions understand the knowledge-based workforce needs of industry and retool their curricula to ensure students are not only pre- pared for the careers of today but also, just as importantly, for those careers that do not yet exist. Fairmont State is an excellent case study for what higher education can and should do. By developing programs in nationally in-demand fields such as aviation, architecture and WWW.WVEXECUTIVE.COM FALL 2019 47