Angola, Ind.-based Trine University today announced it will establish a branch
campus in Peoria. The campus will offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in
engineering, as well as a variety of other programs that are in line with
Peoria's 2010 Higher Education Feasibility Study and Economic Development
Implementation Strategy (EDIS).
Trine's engineering program is the culmination of more than a century of
experience, and this is an exciting opportunity for us to invest in educational
advances in yet another community to provide educational resources for students
that will, in turn, meet the needs of the region in terms of workforce
development, technical training and access to private, nonprofit higher
education. "We are very excited about our partnership with Peoria," said Earl D.
Brooks II, Ph.D., president of Trine University.
Besides the benefit of increasing the area's higher education and community
education opportunities, the university will be supporting economic development
and job growth through technology commercialization efforts, assisting business,
as well as entrepreneurs. In addition, it is anticipated that Trine�s
partnership with the City and its relationship with BioInspire will advance
technology innovation through the school's biomedical engineering program and
through the creation of a future Peoria Innovation Center that will seek to
develop technology innovations into commercial applications.
"University recruitment is critical to economic development because a
university provides quality instruction enhancing human capital and, therefore,
contributing quality workers to the community," said Peoria's Mayor, Bob
Barrett. "There are also immeasurable benefits that result from the university's
operations including its ability to partner with the private sector through
technology transfer activities. The impact of Trine's Peoria campus will be
significant."
Trine University anticipates that by the end of its fifth year in Peoria, the
university will have created 16 full time administrative, and 1,479 part-time
adjunct faculty jobs with a payroll of $28 million. According to a Greater
Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) economic analysis, the Trine project will
generate over 10 years $240.7 million in direct and indirect economic output and
$12.5 million in total revenue.
"We are proud of the work that the City of Peoria, an emerging community now
ranked among the Top 100 Places to Live by Money magazine, has done to advance
economic prosperity," said Barry Broome, president and CEO of the Greater
Phoenix Economic Council. "This agreement with Trine University will increase
the city's competitiveness and help create a workforce that is highly skilled,
locally trained and technologically advanced."
Initially, the university offices will be located at 14100 N. 83rd Avenue,
occupying 17,000SF that was previously occupied by Western International
University. Trine is currently enrolling online classes for the Peoria campus
and will be offering seated classes in the first quarter of 2013. Interested
students should go to edge.trine.edu for more information.
Trine will also be exhibiting at Peoria's regional job fair at the Peoria Sports
Complex on November 8 to begin the process of hiring faculty and staff.
Interested parties may send their resumes now to David Wood, VP of Academic
Resources, at woodd@trine.edu.
Community support for the creation of a university campus that focuses on
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs in Peoria, has been
overwhelming. Supporters include the Arizona Commerce Authority, Science
Foundation Arizona, BioAccel, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Western Maricopa
Coalition, the Arizona Technology Council, Glendale Community College, Peoria
Unified School District, and Maxwell Technologies. University recruitment has
been a top priority of the Peoria City Council since the Economic Development
Implementation Strategy was adopted in 2010.
"This announcement is important for workforce development for the entire
Valley," said Scott Whyte, director of Economic Development Services. "Our EDIS
stipulated that university recruitment should focus on STEM (science technology,
engineering, and math) programs, and Trine's robust engineering program offers a
perfect complement to other recent innovation developments in Peoria, namely the
location of Maxwell Technologies and the establishment of our BioInspire medical
device incubator."
The university's job-placement rates are above the national average. Of the
university's 2011 graduating class, 91 percent of graduates found meaningful
employment or were enrolled in graduate school within six months of
commencement.
"Trine's multiple achievements can be attributed to numerous advancements,
including the leadership's vision and constant quest for creativity and
innovation in our academic programming," Brooks said. "We believe our successes
will lead to economic prosperity, growth and progress in Peoria."
Trine is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools, and its education, engineering and business
programs are nationally recognized and accredited.
About Trine University:
Founded in 1884 in Angola, Indiana, Trine University offers more than 35 degree
programs on its main campus, as well as online and at regional campuses and
education centers throughout Indiana and Michigan. The university has become the
fastest-growing private university in Indiana over the last five years, with a
68 percent increase in enrollment. U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton
Review have ranked Trine among the Midwest�s Best Colleges every year since
2008.
About Peoria: On the leading edge of the Phoenix metropolitan area, Peoria is
one of Arizona's fastest growing communities. This one-time farming community
was originally settled in 1886 and incorporated in 1954. Located just 25 minutes
from Sky Harbor International Airport, Peoria is a dynamic community of more
than 150,000 people today. Home to nearly 50 miles of trails, award-winning
schools and parks, well-planned residential neighborhoods, Major League Baseball
Spring Training home for the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, and the
area's second largest lake, this progressive yet grounded and well-balanced
community is positioned to be a decisive component of Arizona�s economic future.
About the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC)
A true public/private partnership, GPEC is the regional economic development
organization for the Greater Phoenix metro area in Arizona � the number two
market for solar in the United States. GPEC also was recently ranked one of the
top economic development groups in the country. Working with its 20 member
communities, Maricopa County and more than 150 private investors, GPEC attracts
quality businesses to this dynamic region. By creating a high-performance
economy through capital investments and jobs, Greater Phoenix companies enjoy a
business climate where they can compete and thrive in today's global economy.
Since 1989, GPEC has worked to achieve an economically sound and sustainable
region. For more information, visit www.gpec.org
