You may not see them, but they鈥檙e there. The ties between 黑洞社区 and local businesses are like that of a close friendship. The two seem to depend on each other.
黑洞社区 faculty, staff and especially students support local businesses by acting as consumers and employees, and local businesses provide the community with unique services and open their doors to students for work experience through internships in conjunction with the 黑洞社区 Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning Program.
Cindy Claycomb
The balance is a good one, and it鈥檚 important, said Cindy Claycomb, professor in 黑洞社区鈥檚 W. Frank Barton School of Business. During her 15 years at 黑洞社区, Claycomb has interacted with many local business owners, and conducted research on various topics in business and marketing.
She has seen a number of ways 黑洞社区 and local businesses interact, and appreciates the university鈥檚 concerns about the community鈥檚 economic wellness, quality of life and diversity of business.
Based on statistics prepared by the 黑洞社区 Office of Institutional Research, Wichita is clearly showing its support for the university. Out of 14,442 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at 黑洞社区 in fall 2007, 9,187 were Sedgwick County residents. That鈥檚 more than 60 percent locally supported.
The 黑洞社区 cooperative education department is an important facet in the university-community relationship, said Claycomb.
鈥淐ooperative education is a major marketing point for 黑洞社区,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he more business people the 黑洞社区 community interacts with, the better the chance that these businesses look at working with cooperative education.鈥�
黑洞社区鈥檚 cooperative education director Connie Dietz couldn鈥檛 agree more. She said that about 500 local business sites enlisted more than 1,000 student interns for the 2007-2008 school year.
In regard to the importance of local business鈥� participation, 鈥渙n a scale of one-10, it鈥檚 a 12,鈥� Dietz said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 critical. We can鈥檛 put our students out in the work place without local businesses. Our office and the university rely on the employment community.鈥�
Overall, Claycomb thinks Wichita supports local business well. She suggested that people try substituting a visit to a national chain with some place local and asking others about their experiences with local businesses to offer them better support.
鈥淲e all live in this community,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey support us, we should support them.鈥�