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FROM THE PRESIDENT: Where education, training and business merge

Dr. Tracy HallOur greatest mission at Southwest is helping students gain satisfying and profitable careers by equipping them with the necessary tools to succeed in today’s workforce. As we Reimagine Southwest, one of our goals is to ensure that we are blurring the lines between business and industry.  A recent example of this effort is the development of the Faculty Industry Externship program.  This College partnership with area businesses grants instructors an opportunity to return to industry to work onsite, allowing them to gain first-hand experience and a deeper understanding of current workplace skills and emerging trends for the 21st century. Participating businesses have an opportunity to gain expert assistance by our experienced instructors and to hopefully build a recruitment pipeline to hire Southwest graduates.  This program, we believe, is a true win-win-win for all!

The Faculty Industry Externship Program is more than an innovative exchange of knowledge, skills and ideas. It is a prime example of how Southwest is thinking outside of the box, coloring outside of the lines, to identify and create solutions that ensure we stay ahead of the curve in providing the programs students want and industry needs. Our reimagining efforts not only transform Southwest, but also translate into a healthy workforce that propels our community into the bright future it so richly deserves.  And that means our students not only emerge ready to move up a lot higher on the socioeconomic scale as skilled employees, entrepreneurs and leaders, but also that the industries and opportunities they want and need are there, ready to receive them. That is what we call upward social mobility at Southwest. Imagine that.

dr hall

Dr. Tracy D. Hall
President