A couple of weeks ago, I traveled north to Escanaba, Mich.
Perched on the northeastern banks of Lake Michigan, Escanaba is U.P. (Upper Peninsula) 101. Mixed between open fields and dense forests, it is beautiful but isolated. And that poses opportunities and challenges.
One challenge is that many young residents of the county (Delta) leave as soon as they can. This drains Delta of those who needed to fill its social and economic needs. At the same time, Delta County is afflicted by the drug abuse suffering that many American communities endure. With fewer than 50,000 residents, this imposes major demands on local services.
Yet Delta County a great place to live.
Wages are high, living costs low, and a tangible friendliness is ever-present. Moreover, as competition for jobs and investment increases across America, Delta County residents are building a foundation from which to thrive.
First off, Bay College. Located on Escanaba’s northern edge, Bay College offers affordable education to county residents of all ages. But what makes Bay College so impressive is its focus on relevant skills that support local needs. Two courses stand out: Water Technology and Mechatronics. Supported by high-end training facilities (I was impressed by how little I understood!), these courses match employer needs to student opportunities. In so, students are near-guaranteed high-paying careers upon graduation. And with Bay offering low-cost tuition for Delta residents and those of nearby counties, its programs offer huge bang for the buck.
Equally important, Bay proves the importance of good leadership. Its president, Laura Coleman seems to be everywhere at once. Her passion for innovation and student outcomes is intoxicating. I sat in on a political science class and was struck by the confidence and variable interests of the students. They believe they can be successful. And they’re absolutely right.
Still, Delta County’s better future also rests on its local economy.
While a civic-minded (not always the case with casinos…) nearby casino employs many residents, Delta is also served by other impressive businesses. A friend of mine, William Van De Vusse, co-owns a high-quality valve construction company with about 80 employees. William explains that by offering good benefits, he has been able to attract the best talent to produce the best products, and thus return the best profits. He proves the morality of capitalism.
But more than that, William’s company exemplifies how, in a globalized economy, businesses in the heartlands can compete with competitors in cities. If a product is good enough, the rural lower-cost environment offers a competitive advantage to higher-tax, higher-fixed-cost cities.
That speaks to the sustaining message I heard from Delta residents: Let us thrive. Here, regulatory reform is crucial. Local communities on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes, for example, make successful business out of fish farming. Yet regulatory laws in the United States prevent American lake communities from doing the same thing.
I took another lesson regarding college payment reform. Put simply, more Pell Grants should be reserved for community colleges rather than private colleges. And more federal funds should be prioritized for non-traditional course options such as those aforementioned (which offer employability), than for liberal arts courses.
Don’t get me wrong, the liberal arts are important. But you can learn liberal arts by reading books. You cannot learn mechatronics without a lab. We have limited resources. Our national priority must focus on raising skills across our population. Students need jobs. Community colleges are the best way to get them jobs.
Ultimately, the true story of Escanaba and of Delta County is simple. Its residents are hardworking, honorable, and creative. They prove the greatness between our two coasts. Let us listen to them.
Tom Rogan (@TomRtweets) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. He is a foreign policy columnist for National Review, a domestic policy columnist for Opportunity Lives, a former panelist on The McLaughlin Group and a senior fellow at the Steamboat Institute.
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