Clark College’s big plans for a satellite campus in north Clark County reflect the importance of education in a developing and sustainable economy — and not only in the obvious way of training people for the workforce.
College officials announced last week the acquisition of 59 acres near the Interstate 5 junction in Ridgefield. For a bit of perspective — that site is about half the size of Clark College’s main campus near downtown Vancouver. The plan is to start with one 70,000-square-foot building on the new site as early as 2020, and eventually grow into a campus with four to six buildings. The nonprofit Clark College Foundation purchased a tract of land for $5.67 million from Boschma Family LLC, and the Boschmas also made a $3.1 million land donation.
Increased educational opportunities represent an inherent economic boost to the region. Education remains one of the crucial linchpins for growing and sustaining a strong middle class and, even in an age rife with discussion about increasing the minimum wage for workers, studies show that college is the key to closing the income gap in this country.
The Washington Post recently reported on a research paper from MIT economist David Autor, in which he wrote, “The growth of skill differentials among the ‘other 99 percent’ is arguably even more consequential than the rise of the 1 percent for the welfare of most citizens.” In other words, the income disparity between those who have a college education and those who do not has grown more rapidly, percentage-wise, than the disparity between the top earners and the general public.
Yet while the earnings potential that comes with a college education is well-documented, the other benefits of having a college nearby often are overlooked. As Ridgefield city manager Steve Stuart told The Columbian, the presence of a satellite campus in Ridgefield could make the area more appealing to businesses that offer high-wage jobs. Companies are going to be drawn to areas that have and are developing high-knowledge, tech-savvy potential employees. Ridgefield mayor Ron Onslow said: “It’s fantastic. This is going to be a real boost for the north county area, especially Ridgefield.”
The cost, particularly for longtime residents, could be great. At risk is Ridgefield’s small-town, rural culture as development continues around the revamped I-5 interchange. That is lamentable on some levels, and yet it also is inevitable.
In 1998, Ridgefield doubled its land area by annexing 1,846 acres of farmland, and sprawl has been inching toward the city ever since. Such is the unavoidability of population growth, and Onslow said Ridgefield’s population is expected to grow from about 6,000 people now to 20,000 over the next eight years. Growth is crucial to economic viability, but such rapid expansion will require particularly wise management from city leaders. The Ridgefield of the past is being swept away, but that doesn’t have to mean a decline in the quality of life for residents.
Meanwhile, the Clark College satellite campus can play a role in improving the quality of life for its students. And those students can find some inspiration in the family that provided the name for Clark College at Boschma Farms. According to college president Bob Knight, Hank and Bernice Boschma emigrated from Holland and became dairy farmers in Ridgefield. They took their American citizenship tests at Clark College, and one of their daughters attended the school. Now they are retired and living near Bellingham, but their impact on Ridgefield and all of Clark County will be felt for generations.
