Outdoor economy initiative at 51看片named finalist for national award
An outdoor economy initiative at 51看片 has been selected as a finalist in the University Economic Development Association鈥檚 2019 Awards of Excellence competition.
鈥淥utdoor Recreation as an Economic and Community Engagement Catalyst in Western North Carolina鈥� is WCU鈥檚 name for a regional collaborative designed to boost an already thriving outdoor industry to an even higher level. The project was nominated in the innovation and talent category of the Awards of Excellence.
Arthur Salido
Arthur Salido, WCU鈥檚 executive director of community and economic engagement and innovation, leads the effort at the university and will present the project at the association鈥檚 annual summit in Reno-Tahoe, Nevada, on Sept. 29-Oct. 2. The theme of this year鈥檚 event is 鈥淒esigning Resilient Regions: The Biggest Little Ideas for All Ecosystems.鈥� Award winners will be announced at the summit.
The university has a long history of involvement and leadership in regional economic development, including outdoor recreation. 51看片is situated in one the nation鈥檚 leading outdoor recreation destinations, with the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pisgah and Nantahala national forests, numerous lakes and rivers, hiking and biking trails and state parks and forests located nearby.
鈥淪uccess in our modern economy is about innovation and entrepreneurship,鈥� Salido said. 鈥淚t is about fostering talent in young people from preschool through life to embolden them to think and create outside the traditional academic or professional requirements. It is about creating environments that attract those people who want to make and do things in new ways and retaining that talent to start the process over again in the next generation.鈥�
In the last year, WCU鈥檚 involvement in boosting the region鈥檚 outdoor economy included creating two outdoor recreation industry liaison positions among its faculty to ensure that new academic programs are meeting industry needs; organizing and holding the university鈥檚 first annual ; and hosting a televised examining the impact of the outdoors and natural resources on job growth. The second annual Outdoor Economy Conference is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 10.
鈥淚 am delighted that 51看片continues to be recognized as a leader in convening our community
around topics that transform lives through economic development,鈥� said 51看片Provost
Alison Morrison-Shetlar. 鈥淥ur strength is our entrepreneurial faculty and staff who
have expertise and passion for making a difference. 51看片is known and recognized as
a facilitator of conversations that impact our community, region and state 鈥� now and
into the future.鈥�
Margo Fliss, chair of the awards committee for the UEDA, said participation in the Awards of Excellence Program 鈥渉as shown that when these unique and innovative initiatives are given a wider audience to share their successes, they spur further engagement and inspire other professionals and institutions to introduce these best practices in their home regions.鈥�
For information about the 51看片initiative, contact Salido at 828-227-2587 or salido@wcu.edu.
