At a forum co-sponsored by Higher Education Works and the Harvard Club of the Research Triangle, NC Community College System President Scott Ralls describes the historic connection between education and economic development in North Carolina.

“We had a governor back in the 1950s who had two crazy ideas – one was to create a major research park in the middle of three universities in this pine forest.… But his other was to create this network of industrial education centers – that’s what turned into the community colleges,” Ralls says in the accompanying video.

“So higher ed has a unique connection to the economy and to companies throughout North Carolina…. I think higher ed has been a driver in that because of the company-education connection in our state.”