A new spring semester is well underway at the State University of New York at Fredonia. Indeed, the university is a cultural and economic powerhouse: exemplar in teaching, creative in research and dedicated to service with a creative cultural and economic impact on the county, state, and beyond.

Truly, we are fortunate to have such an outstanding institution of higher learning in our scenic and bountiful region. Indeed, we have a highly creative, energetic, and talented administration, faculty, staff and student body who occupy the spaces on this most productive and beautiful university campus. What a plus this institution is to our broad geographical region!

The university is particularly noted for its innovative teaching protocols, dynamic research, developmental strategies, and involvement in community service and global initiatives. Through the years, Fredonia has become a model institution of higher education par excellence. Many of these quality indicators have been maintained and advanced by and through the superb academic standing of the student body and their zest for learning, and by the excellence provided by a scholarly, eminently distinguished faculty and staff. These hallmarks of unique excellence are worthy of nurturing, preserving, enriching, and enhancing. No wonder Fredonia is continuously ranked as one of the top public universities in the North by major accrediting institutions and organizations. And no wonder, too, large numbers of high school seniors and graduate level individuals have indicated … to this writer … their sincere desire to be admitted to, attend, and graduate from Fredonia.

I have had the good fortune of being associated, in various capacities, with Fredonia for well over 50 years. Also, my wife (MS degree), daughter (BA degree), son (Advanced Certificate), daughter-in-law (BS, MS degree), nieces, and nephews are graduates of this fine institution. I have had the great pleasure of working with hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students at Fredonia through the years. Further, I have seen this university motivate, challenge, and inspire students to become skilled, connected, productive, and innovative founders and leaders. The university continues to enrich a broadening population of individuals through extensive scholarship, artistic expression, community engagement, and individual/group entrepreneurship.

To be sure, these are exciting times at our local SUNY campus. There is a vibrancy of creativity, encouraging exciting interdisciplinary collaboration and furthering the enhancement of teaching and learning outcomes. This institution’s climate of dynamism is an energetic thrust for Fredonia’s response toward meeting cutting-edged societal needs.

Fredonia is proudly a vital part of our great state university system. Strategically, the system plays a pivotal role in the intellectual climate, cultural advancement and economic vitality of our state and host communities. In many ways, it helps to serve as an area’s core economic engine. In other words, often the university becomes the magnet which draws in other enterprises, explores emerging possibilities, and serves as an attraction for future initiatives. And thus, it has a magnetic pull of attraction for folks individually or collectively, and is often central to playing a vital role in anchoring and enhancing an area’s cultural and economic quality of life. Indeed, this is so true in our own Southwestern New York region. In a recent study it was reported that our university’s economic impact is estimated to exceed $204 million regionally (Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie counties) each year, and stateside, the impact surpassed $330 million.

It was Benjamin Disraeli who so wisely stated, “Upon the education of the people of this country, the fate of this country depends.” And, it was Tapan Monroe, an economist for California, who so thoughtfully stated, “Like steel and auto manufacturing during the 1900s, it is quality education which fuels the cultural setting and the economic engines of the current century.”

Truly, Fredonia is just such a powerhouse of culture and engine of ingenuity. And so, from my perspective … The State University of New York at Fredonia: Exemplar of Excellence.

Dr. Robert L. Heichberger is professor emeritus at the State University of New York at Fredonia and distinguished professor at Capella University. He is an award winning author. His newest book “The Land of Nature” has recently been released and is available at Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon.com. All past columns can be viewed on www.fromourperspective.net/ Send comments to: Rheich@aol.com