Heartland Forward is a think and do tank dedicated to being a resource for states and communities, helping to advance economic opportunity in the heartland.

Heartland Forward

Heartland Forward is a think tank dedicated to being a resource for states and communities, helping to advance economic opportunity in the heartland.

Heartland Forward | 4,859 followers on LinkedIn. An institute for economic renewal | Heartland Forward is a nonpartisan, nonprofit &quot;think and do tank. Our mission is to improve economic performance in the center of the United States by advocating for fact-based solutions to foster job creation, knowledge-based and inclusive growth, and improved health outcomes. We are achieving our mission through independent, data-driven research; action-oriented discussion; and impactful policy recommendations.

Economist fostering better cities, communities, and organizations through insightful research & strategy

Minoli Ratnatunga

Managing Partner, Native Spirit Holdings

Cara Osborne

Chief Communications and Development Officer at Heartland Forward

Blake Woolsey

Development Manager

Allison Hubbard

Dean Kim Needy joined Heartland Forward CEO Ross DeVol , Lexicon, Inc. CEO Patrick Schueck and Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald for the release of a study showing how investment in engineering education could add $3.9 billion and 19,000 jobs to the state economy by 2038. Some key findings: * Even a small increase in the share of engineers and computer scientists in Arkansas’s labor force—from 2.3% to 3.4%—could boost GDP by 1.6 percentage points by 2038. * Each additional job in this sector would contribute approximately $203,000 to the state's economy. * A 50% increase in graduates and research output would generate an impressive $2.4 billion and 12,000 jobs. * Doubling the number of students graduating from the University of Arkansas College of Engineering would create a $3.9 billion economic impact, which is 15 times greater than the operational costs required to serve the increased number of students. We're grateful to collaborators Heartland Forward and we look forward to sharing more with our many stakeholders in the near future.

University of Arkansas College of Engineering

Today we are releasing our latest report, “Engineers, Computer Scientists and Data Scientists as Drivers of Economic Growth” which highlights the transformative impact that STEM education has on local economies. We are in Little Rock today, meeting with leaders from across Arkansas to share this report. Thank you, University of Arkansas College of Engineering for your partnership on this critical piece of research. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e6nf5jBG

It is always inspiring to join with members of our Heartland Health Caucus as we champion health as an economic issue through supporting legislation, programs and thoughtful leadership to highlight how a healthier population will lead to a robust workforce and thriving communities. Last week in Nashville, we brought together cross-functional health leaders and broadband directors to support this vital work. We want to send a huge thank you to our caucus members for bringing innovative solutions to the discussion. We cannot wait for our next convening. Learn more about the Heartland Health Caucus here: https://lnkd.in/e6ti24eC

We are excited to celebrate the launch of our Nurse Apprenticeship Program in partnership with Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center , the U.S. Department of Labor and Three Rivers College . Our inaugural class features 15 outstanding participants and we cannot wait to see how the program supports their journey towards a career pathway in health care! https://lnkd.in/e_aewq-8

Introducing the Heartland Forward Podcast hosted by Blake Woolsey . Join Blake as she discusses the latest economic trends with industry leaders from across the heartland! For our first episode, she sat down with AI implementation expert John Bailey . Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eHc5rdK5

Thank you Nashville, TN leaders for hosting the Heartland Forward Health Caucus this week and for the leadership the TN team provided!

Angie Cooper

This morning, Ross DeVol spoke at the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) International Conference in Bentonville. In his address, Ross outlined the ways Heartland Forward has spurred revitalization by supporting innovation from the region’s dynamic communities. Thank you for having us! #AURP2024

We’ve had a busy month and we cannot wait to share all of the highlights. Heartland Happenings’ latest issue is now LIVE. Don’t miss out! Read it here: https://lnkd.in/ekdQyUNd

The upcoming edition of our monthly newsletter, Heartland Happenings, releases tomorrow. It was a great month at Heartland Forward. You won’t want to miss it! Sign up for Heartland Happenings here: https://lnkd.in/eqH6B7uM

This week, the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation are hosting the AURP International Conference in Bentonville. Ross DeVol will be delivering an address titled “Cultivating Success in the Heartland” on Wednesday. Register here: https://lnkd.in/g5rrvmU #AURP2024

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