VT Gov Shumlin: State investment in UVM needs to produce better results

Good afternoon and thank you for being here. I am here today on the University of Vermont campus to talk about the future of the university and its essential relationship with the state of Vermont. This is a topic that means a lot to me. I am convinced that Vermont can become known nationally as the education state in the coming years, and that UVM will play a critical role in that evolution...

...The university’s mission is “To create, evaluate, share, and apply knowledge and to prepare students to be accountable leaders who will bring to their work dedication to the global community, a grasp of complexity, effective problem-solving and communication skills, and an enduring commitment to learning and ethical conduct.”

Look around Vermont right now, and you will find the spirit of this mission hard at work. This university produces one of the best trained workforces in the country. Some of you may have heard of UVM graduates Briar and Adam Alpert. Their father, a UVM faculty member, founded BioTek Instruments, a cutting-edge manufacturer of medical equipment right here in Vermont. Briar and Adam have since taken over the company, and as creative entrepreneurs, they have made BioTek one of the best places to work in the state and business has thrived.

Similarly, Steve Arms is the founder, President and CEO of MicroStrain, a company which develops and manufactures miniature sensors. Andrew Meyer has been busy since he graduated from UVM, founding the Center for an Agricultural Economy and helping to usher in a new era of innovative, value-added agriculture in Vermont. Other Vermont business leaders produced by this University include Jan Blittersdorf, President and CEO of NRG Systems, David Blittersdorf, President and CEO of AllEarth Renewables, Janette Bombardier, head of IBM’s Essex Plant, and the Pizzagalli brothers, leaders of PC Construction, one of the nation´s largest employee-owned contractors. UVM graduate Rich Tarrant is CEO and founder, with his two brothers, Jerry and Brian – also graduates of the university — of Internet software firm MyWebGrocer. The list is endless....

...To read the article in its entirety, click here.