Intel project to benefit Central Ohio colleges, students | Local News
Intel’s decision to build a microchip manufacturing facility in the New Albany area has great short- and long-term benefits for local universities, their students and alumni.
According to professors and officials at The Ohio State University in Columbus and Denison University in Granville, Intel will spur growth and opportunities due to the economic infusion it provides, the job opportunities it presents and the particular skill set and expertise those jobs will require.
Weinberg
“Intel will be a game-changer for Denison,” Adam Weinberg, the university’s president, told the Columbus Jewish News. “We were the first liberal arts college in the country to have a data analytics major and we have an exceptionally strong computer science department. Having Intel and other technology companies in our backyard will create new and exciting opportunities for those academic departments and our students.”
Ben-David
The impact will also be major for Ohio State, Itzhak Ben-David, the Neil Klatskin chair in finance and real estate at the Fisher College of Business and academic director at the university’s Center for Real Estate, told the Columbus Jewish News.
“Intel’s investment is indeed a vote of confidence in the local universities in general and OSU in particular,” he said. “There is little doubt that OSU is the knowledge-producing engine in the region. It attracts and produces from the entire state and from out-of-state. Intel’s move will boost both the demand and the supply of world-class education and research at OSU. The significant improvements will likely occur in engineering, exact sciences and business fields.”
The Ohio State University Oval
Wapner
Stephanie Wapner, senior lecturer at OSU’s Fisher College of Business, director of the honors contract program and director of case competitions, said Intel will benefit from a pipeline of talent from local graduates who will stay in-state to build their careers.
“There’s a huge potential talent pipeline for … jobs in design, engineering, manufacturing, sales, human resources, management, all sorts of different industries,” she said. Intel is helping to further this partnership as it has “committed at the outset $100 million to partner with Ohio’s higher education institutions and community colleges to build up that local workforce,” Wapner told the CJN.
She said students will not even need to wait until they graduate to benefit from this partnership as there will be opportunities for internships and co-op programs combining classroom studies with paid work experience. Having Intel in the area also provides chances for experiential learning such as case studies, case competitions, visits with industry executives and visiting faculty and lecturers from local industry.
“So, there’s a lot of very exciting … education and research opportunities on the horizon,” Wapner said.
These are just some of the opportunities for students to learn and build careers and for local colleges and universities to grow, she said.
“The opportunities are limitless,” Wapner said.
Over the long term, Intel’s presence could transform the region, Ben-David said.
“Intel’s decision is inspiring news for Ohioans,” he said. “With the right momentum, Columbus could undoubtedly give a good fight to Austin, Texas and Raleigh, N.C., in the race of becoming the next Silicon Valley.”
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