BRAC growth in Huntsville a win-win for area colleges

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The buzzwords reverberate from one college campus to the other, words like "impact" when it comes to the BRAC movement to the Huntsville area.

The ultimate conclusion is that colleges have watched enrollments increase along with Army-related courses of study. It's been a win-win scenario - the schools have benefited from BRAC and reciprocate that benefit to the community.

"The University of Alabama in Huntsville has felt the positive effects of the (BRAC) in a variety of ways," UAH Vice President for Research Dr. John Horack said.

"The continued benefits of BRAC to UAHuntsville will be realized over time as more and more new residents take advantage of what UAHuntsville has to offer our students our partners and our community."

Indeed, Horack could be speaking for all area colleges.

"BRAC's impact on Alabama A&M University and its 5,800 students and 348 faculty members has been highly significant, especially with building partnerships at the Redstone Arsenal," said Dr. Vann Newkirk, associate provost for academic affairs at Alabama A&M University.

It's a common theme among the schools, how BRAC has influenced the way resources have been deployed.

"The BRAC impact is already being felt in student interest and industry demand for workers with technical skills in engineering support, office systems, manufacturing, hospitality, and health care fields," said Dr. Helen McAlpine, president of Drake State Technical College.

"In 2009, the college added an associate degree in medical assisting in response to increased demand for health care workers. The college currently has 86 students enrolled in medical assisting and has trained and certified 197 nursing assistants in the past two years."

Strengthening ties with Redstone Arsenal also provides an avenue for schools to integrate graduating students into the workforce.

"(Calhoun's) existing partnership with Redstone Arsenal and many of its contractors has been enhanced by workforce needs created through BRAC," said Bethany Clem, dean for business, technologies and workforce development at Calhoun Community College.

"Calhoun is producing engineering technicians and helping to prepare engineers through our pre-engineering program. In addition, Calhoun has aligned our business curriculum with the Acquisitions and Logistics program at UAHuntsville allowing our students a seamless transition from an associate's to a bachelor's degree," she said.

Alabama A&M has also cast a more focused eye toward developing a workforce for Redstone Arsenal.

"New academic programs and offerings have been introduced to facilitate and support potential employment and professional development opportunities at Redstone, as well as support military personnel and their families moving to the area," Newkirk said. "For instance, the newly established General Master's Degree Program in Engineering, the capability to test microelectronic materials and failure models device design, and analysis/simulation, are all providing significant support to the Army Materiel Command in its warfighter efforts.

"The College of Business & Public Affairs at AAMU now offers a bachelor's degree program in Logistics and Supply Chain Management that addresses contract and acquisition management, as well as risks and logistics security - key support areas for Redstone."

The economic impact the schools have enjoyed is another perk of the BRAC movement. Calhoun has grown into the largest community college in the state while Drake State is in the process of applying for accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

At Drake, McAlpine said the school has seen an 80 percent increase in students enrolled in its culinary arts and hospitality services program as well as a 60 percent bump in accounting technology. And the school's computer technology program has experienced a 35 percent growth.

"Computer technology graduates are filling positions in cyber security, network administration, web page development, and technical support," McAlpine said. "The majority of these new demands for Drake graduates has come from BRAC-related defense contractors."

UAH is also one of two finalists for the National Solar Observatory to be relocated on its campus.

"BRAC has helped UAHuntsville continue to grow in statute and competitiveness," Horack said, "not only regionally, but nationally and internationally, so that we can further recruit and attract great minds to the city of Huntsville, in order to enrich our community."

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