OpEd: “The Strategic Value of College-and IU Southeast-to Our Region”

The Strategic Value of College—and IU Southeast—to Our Region

Across Southern Indiana, families, employers, and students are asking a pressing question: Is college still worth it? The answer matters for the long-term vitality of our region.

The evidence is clear. Since the turn of this century, employment growth for workers with bachelor’s degrees has far outpaced that of workers without degrees. Degree holders experience lower unemployment and higher lifetime earnings, even through economic downturns. At the regional level, communities with higher educational attainment consistently outperform on measures such as wage growth, innovation, and business attraction. Recent research by IU Southeast economists confirms this connection here at home. Indiana counties with higher shares of bachelor’s-degree holders also show higher per-capita GDP and higher average wages. Educational attainment is a proven driver of regional prosperity.

That reality places a responsibility on institutions like IU Southeast. Our mission is practical and urgent: to increase the number of graduates, strengthen the local talent pipeline, and ensure that opportunity remains accessible to the people of this region.

Making the Value of College Clear

If Indiana is to reverse declining college-going rates, the value proposition must be tangible.

At IU Southeast, nearly all graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school within one year of graduation. On average, our alumni earn nearly $10,000 more annually than local peers without a degree, a gap that compounds significantly over a lifetime. Enhancing the ROI of an IU Southeast degree, about one half of our graduates leave with no debt. Importantly, about 80 percent of our graduates stay in the region, contributing more than $219 million in economic activity each year.

Nationally, IU Southeast is also recognized for advancing social mobility. In Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index, we rank in the top 10 percent of U.S. institutions, reflecting our success in helping students from lower-income and first-generation backgrounds move into stronger economic futures.

Our student population reflects the region we serve. More than 85 percent of students come from our service area. Nearly one-third are first-generation college students; more than one-quarter are Pell-eligible; and almost 60 percent receive scholarships or grants. Investing in IU Southeast yields measurable returns for students and for the community.

From Degrees to Workforce Value

A degree alone is not enough. What matters to employers and to regional growth is what graduates can do.

That is why IU Southeast places strong emphasis on skills and applied learning. Our programs integrate communication, critical thinking, leadership, data literacy, and problem-solving, competencies employers consistently rank as essential. Through internships, clinical placements, project-based learning, and employer partnerships, students graduate prepared to contribute on day one.

This alignment with workforce needs is not incidental. It is central to our role as a regional university. As competition for talent intensifies, regions that can grow and retain skilled workers will thrive. IU Southeast is committed to being both a generator and guarantor of that talent pipeline.

Adapting to a Changing Education Landscape

We also recognize that higher education must evolve. The traditional four-year, full-time pathway does not serve many adult learners, career-changers, or working students.

To meet learners where they are, IU Southeast offers prior learning assessment, allowing students to earn academic credit for military training, professional certifications, and work experience. We maintain strong transfer pathways with our high school and two-year college partners at Ivy Tech, Jefferson Community and Technical College, and Elizabethtown Community and Technical College that reduces duplication, time, and cost.

To be more responsive to stakeholders and market forces, we are adding meta majors that support greater alignment between workforce skills and competencies and academic programming. Meta majors allow for discipline-specific depth and interdisciplinary breadth, producing more competitive graduates for the region.

A Call to the Region

The challenges facing higher education are real: demographic shifts, skepticism about college value, and rapidly changing workforce needs. But the path forward is equally clear. Regions that invest in education and institutions that deliver results will be better positioned to compete and prosper.

IU Southeast is committed to expanding attainment, aligning education with employer needs, and serving as a durable economic asset for Southern Indiana.

To regional leaders, employers, educators, philanthropists, and policymakers: we invite your partnership. When students earn degrees and build careers locally, the entire region

benefits. Together, we can ensure that college remains worthwhile for our shared future and Southern Indiana thrives as an economic engine for the region.