Southern to sign MOU for unique collaboration with LED and LWC

Southern to sign MOU for unique collaboration with LED and LWCSouthern University (SU) is scheduled to announce the Louisiana Interagency Alliance on Global Workforce Development (ALLIANCE), a collaboration with Louisiana Economic Development (LED) and the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC), Friday, February 17, 2017, during the SU System Board of Supervisors’ monthly meeting. The SU Board of Supervisors meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in the Board Meeting Room, second floor, in the J.S. Clark Administration Building on the Baton Rouge campus. ALLIANCE was created to establish a unique interagency agreement to position SU as a world-class institution of learning that will allow it to strengthen offerings provided to its students and focus their transition into the Louisiana workforce, while building a similar capacity at other historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the state and nation. The agreement touches on three key areas: academic and workforce development; services between SU and the State of Louisiana to strengthen the workforce; and research and innovation to take SU’s land grant mission and pair it with global opportunities. Through the partnership with SU, LED, and LWC, Louisiana, and its citizens, will be positioned for increased economic opportunities and greater engagement in the global economy, including certain urban and rural areas within the state, such as the Louisiana Delta Corridor. The "Louisiana Delta World Grant Corridor" is the region of the state extending from the city of Baton Rouge near Southern University, which is the urban center at the southern end of the corridor, through the rural area expanding north through the Mississippi River Delta Region, to the City of Monroe, which is the urban center at the northern end of the corridor. "As state agencies, there is a rightful expectation that we provide actionable strategies to promote the growth and well-being of our state and its citizens.

The ALLIANCE partnership allows us to strengthen our Capacity of Service--aligning the missions of teaching, research and innovation, and community engagement for the betterment of our state," said Michael Stubblefield, vice chancellor for research and strategic initiatives, SU. Business plans for the Centers of Strength at Southern also will be developed and implemented to better align curricula with workforce needs, develop new research experiences, and expand community, business, and industry partnership alliances. The proposed Centers of Strength at SU include: Center for Social Entrepreneurship; Center for Informed Learning; Center for Integrative Sustainability; Center for Digital Innovation, and Center for Sustainable Health and Wellness. The centers will provide an "actionable response to the state objectives that include LWC's growth with the four- and five-star jobs, LED's key industries, and the Board of Regents' Elevate Louisiana plan to support academic programs," said Ray L. Belton, SU System President-Chancellor. Academics plus research plus business partnering all add up to the major goal of the Centers of Strength at SU, Belton explained. "The importance of this partnership cannot be understated. Southern University has a longstanding tradition within the Baton Rouge community and throughout the state by providing a quality education to their students and preparing them to contribute in meaningful jobs throughout Louisiana," said LWC executive director Ava Dejoie. "This agreement will help ensure that the courses offered at Southern University educate more people in areas and disciplines that align with the best jobs and therefore the best opportunities for Southern University graduates when they enter the workforce."

"LED is excited about this partnership with one of

Louisiana’s

most historical and important universities and our fellow

state agencies focused on workforce education, training and placement," LED Secretary Don Pierson said. "In particular, our LED FastStart®

team will support the ALLIANCE and Southern University with

workforce programs that maximize the potential of

its students and

Louisiana’s Delta Corridor." About Southern University Southern University and A&M College is the flagship institution of the nation's only historically black college and university system in America. Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the campus is on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section of the city. The campus encompasses 512 acres, with an agricultural experimental station on an additional 372-acre site, five miles north of the main campus. The university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; Telephone number: (404) 679-4501); www.sacscoc.org; to award associate, bachelors, masters, doctoral, and professional degrees, and

is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. About Louisiana Economic Development LED is responsible for strengthening the state's business environment and creating a more vibrant Louisiana economy. With dedicated and knowledgeable professionals committed to Louisiana’s economic future, LED strives to help businesses find the resources they need to make relocation and expansion a successful, profitable endeavor. LED cultivates jobs and economic opportunity for the people of Louisiana through nine integrated strategies. For more information, visit OpportunityLouisiana.com. About Louisiana Workforce Commission The Louisiana Workforce Commission is an agency of state government that administers programs designed to enhance workforce growth and provide family-sustaining jobs for Louisiana residents. The commission monitors employment, administers unemployment compensation and tax funds, provides training resources for employers and employees and oversees worker compensation benefits. The agency also gathers and supplies information on the labor market and occupational sectors in Louisiana.