Business and government leaders from throughout the region gathered Monday, Sept. 26 on the University of Mary Washington Stafford campus for the inaugural economic development conference Partners in Prosperity for the Rappahannock Region.
Eugene P. Trani, president emeritus of Virginia Commonwealth University, presented the keynote address, “Town and Gown in the 21st Century,” in which he asserted that higher education is undergoing a major transformation that is redefining the relationship of colleges and universities to the broader community. Using VCU as an example, he discussed ways universities can support community and economic development.
The event also included a panel of diverse, local business people who shared ideas about ways to strengthen the business climate in the region, and a presentation by Lieutenant Governor William T. Bolling, who addressed the importance of job creation and regional economic development.
The event, sponsored by the Center for Economic Development, kicked-off a week of events leading up the inauguration of President Richard V. Hurley on Sept. 30. Read article in The Free Lance-Star.
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