NORFOLK, Neb. – A Northeast Community College dean who works with industries in northeast Nebraska was chosen to speak at a recent economic development conference in Wichita, Kan.
Cyndi Hanson, dean of Workforce Development, spoke on a panel at the Build Back Better Coalition about creating opportunities for rural economies with programming, outreach and workforce development. The coalition met for three days in mid-September.
The Reaching Beyond Cities Panel focused on how Build Back Better coalitions are creating opportunities outside their city hub, with other panelists from Texas, Georgia and St. Louis.
Hanson has been participating in the Northeast iHub project since it was started. The other speakers chosen to participate have been participating in similar coalitions across the country.
Hanson said much of the conference focused on rural connectedness.
“For some of the more urban ones, the focus was on, ‘How do you connect with the rural areas?’ That’s because all those projects are intended to be regional – not just an urban focus,” Hanson said.
Every one of the projects selected deals with advanced manufacturing, official intelligence, aviation or some type of expansion into a high-tech area.
“Every region kind of has its own niche,” she said. “Each of them was about advancing it or moving it into a high-tech area.”
Representatives from all 68 Build Back Better regions were invited to the conference, which results in a broad representation of the nation. All but 20 of the regions were represented.
The conference consisted of people who worked on the grants, along with their economic development agencies, and Wichita representatives. Erin Sorensen, director of the iHub, also attended the conference.
“Erin and I both had our jaws drop,” Hanson said. “Wichita is extremely high tech in everything they do. They have aviation, but they also have prototyping and virtual reality. It is mind-blowing.”
Wichita has the highest concentration of engineers in the nation and has been called the aviation capital of the world.
Hanson said Northeast Community College is doing some innovative projects, so being able to share it with others is an honor. There was a lot of interest in the iHub and how all the pieces will work together, including sharing resources when there needs to be more bandwidth.
While Northeast appreciates Hanson’s talents and expertise spreading news about the iHub, it comes with some sadness. Hanson will be leaving at the end of the month to take a position at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa.
Hanson Chosen
Cyndi Hanson, Northeast dean of Workforce Development, served on a panel during a national Build Back Better Conference last month in Wichita, Kan. (Northeast Community College)
###