Why go to college? That simple question has many answers.
The main answer is that a college education is strongly linked to a persons ability to earn more money and be a more productive citizen of society.
People who earn money create jobs and contribute more to the tax base. People who contribute to society help improve the quality of life for everyone.
All of this is good for Georgia. So it stands to reason that the colleges who educate Georgians are good for the state, too. But how good? That?s the question that the Atlanta Regional Consortium for Higher Education (ARCHE) sought to answer this winter.
To answer it, ARCHE examined scores of data tables from a variety of sources. They shared the best data with POV. A challenge was born: Distilling all of this data down to a core of compelling points and supporting graphics that people can grasp immediately.
The solution to that challenge was a simple 16-page booklet measuring 5 x 7 inches. The booklet opens with a provocative question: ?What does Georgia gain by investing in its colleges and universities??
The booklet can be digested in a minute or less. ARCHE put one in the hands of every state legislator and distributed it widely through its 19 member institutions. ARCHE reports that everyone who sees it praises the booklets ability to quickly impart a central message in many different ways. The president of a large university even wrote asking for an additional 500 copies.
By the way, ARCHE works to increase recognition of the magnitude, impact and value of the higher education community in the Atlanta region. The organization has been a POV client for nearly five years.
