eCSU vital to state economy

Elizabeth City State University has a more than $100 million annual impact on the economy of northeastern North Carolina, according to a study released last week.

The economic impact study, commissioned by the ECSU Foundation Board, revealed that ECSU directly has invested $45 million into the businesses of the Albemarle region and the surrounding areas.

"Elizabeth City State University is an integral part of the economy of northeastern North Carolina," said ECSU Chancellor Mickey Burnim in a press release.

The study also showed that the university has an indirect impact on these areas through the creation of jobs and new businesses.

"ECSU is a leader in providing the intellectual capital needed to enhance the quality of life for our citizens and to stimulate economic growth in the region," Burnim said in the release.

"The study has enlightened us about our impact on creating jobs in the region above and beyond our own employees."

The study found that 1,500 jobs, 500 of which are employees of ECSU, can be attributed to the presence of the university.

Richard Olson, city manager for Elizabeth City, said he is pleased with the findings of the study.

"It basically confirmed what we thought all alongA-- that the university is a great asset," he said. "(The university) has always been a crucial part of the community."

The university's impact in the community might increase as it completes capital improvement projects and moves forward with plans for a multimillion-dollar pharmacy school building. The N.C. General Assembly approved $28 million in 2004 for the project.

Visitors to the university also create revenue for the city's hotels and restaurants while the university's construction projects generate new jobs, Olson said.

He added that the study undervalued the impact that ECSU has on Elizabeth City and surrounding areas.

"There is a lot of trickle-down effect that the study missed," he said. "The value to our community is a lot more than we can just put in dollars and cents."

Deborah Barnes, public information officer for the N.C. Department of Commerce, said the importance of universities like ECSU to the state economy cannot be emphasized enough.

"North Carolina's universities and colleges play a crucial role in our state's economic development, not only because of the investments they make in their communities but also because of the help they provide in recruiting other industries to the state through collaborative endeavors," she said.

 

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.