In front of a capacity crowd of Castleton faculty, staff, students, and friends President Dave Wolk officially opened Castleton Downtown at a recent open house. The event gave the public a first glimpse of the endeavor which is nearly a year in the making, and figures to play a prominent role in helping Castleton achieve the lofty goals of "Castleton on the Move," a strategic plan that maps out the next decade of the university's growth.
The plan promised to place a greater investment in, and commitment to the Rutland area, including downtown Rutland as a destination for selected new facilities and programs that will further enhance the quality of a Castleton education while providing the region with much needed intellectual capital.
Located in downtown Rutland on Merchants Row, Castleton Downtown will work to further the university’s educational mission and better connect it with schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and industries. An expanded effort in community engagement programs, Castleton Center for Schools outreach, and new connections with the greater Rutland community are also key components to the new programs.
"We created Castleton Downtown because we love Rutland, and we love our students," Wolk said with pride and enthusiasm when introducing the new project.
Central to the success of Castleton Downtown will be Dean of Entrepreneurial Programs Lyle Jepson, who was hired to oversee operations and develop the new Center for Entrepreneurial Programs. In addition, Jepson oversees the Castleton Center for Schools, while working in conjunction with Director of Community Engagement Chrispin White who operates the Center for Community Engagement. The fourth arm of Castleton Downtown is the Castleton Polling Institute, which is directed by Dr. Rich Clark.
“Castleton’s goal for having an office in Rutland is simple,” Jepson said. “We want to support the economic renaissance that is taking place in the Rutland area.”
That support includes matching current students with local business, industry, and nonprofits which will allow them to gain experience, and networking and mentorship opportunities while providing a fresh and insightful talent base from which to draw.
The Center for Entrepreneurial Programs will also serve in developing customized training programs that result in enhanced employee skill levels. Offerings will be determined by local and regional needs assessment data and provide a financially self-sustaining program that provides both customized services and the potential for future certificate programming in areas of consistent high interest. Training may or may not be associated with college credit, giving the center flexibility in its offerings.
In addition, Castleton unveiled several strategic partnerships with area organizations that will help further enhance the quality of a Castleton education. Those partnerships include: Rutland Young Professionals, NeighborWorks, and Evolve Rutland.