Survey to Probe Businesses about Higher Education Needs

May 14, 2002

The recently formed Lowcountry Graduate Center- a consortium involving the College of Charleston, The Citadel and the Medical University of South Carolina- will survey 500 area businesses to gauge the level of interest in launching new graduate and post-graduate degrees in the Lowcountry.

MGT of America, Inc., a national higher education planning and research firm based in Tallahassee, Fla., has been hired to conduct the survey which will involve mailed surveys, focus groups, and personal interviews with business executives, employees and other stakeholders. The surveys are going to be sent to the businesses this week. MGT’s final report is expected to be ready by the end of June, according to Skip Godow, director of the Lowcountry Graduate Center.

“Business and industry have been saying we need new graduate programs to both attract and retain businesses,” Godow explains. “We are going to try to meet some of those needs, but first we have to figure out exactly what programs we need to bring to the Lowcountry. So it’s really time for business and industry to step up to the plate and tell us what they need.”

Godow says increasing the variety of graduate and doctorate programs locally will make the Lowcountry more attractive to companies thinking of locating here. Also employees currently working in the area may be more inclined to remain here if there are more graduate programs available to help them advance in their careers, he says.

The Lowcountry Graduate Center was created in 2001. Its governing board consists of the presidents of The Citadel, the College of Charleston and the Medical University of South Carolina, and three trustees from each institution.

For more information about the Lowcountry Graduate Center call (843) 953-GRAD, or go to www.lowcountrygradcenter.org

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Contact: Patrick Harwood
College Relations
(843) 953-2548
harwoodp@cofc.edu