New fellowship addresses role of higher education institutions

Universities increasingly becoming drivers of new jobs and opportunity

University Park, Pa. — Universities, with their vast resources, are increasingly playing an important role in regional economic and workforce development, often becoming the catalyst for economic change in an area. In an effort to strengthen Penn State's position in the national dialogue on university involvement in regional competitiveness, Penn State Outreach has established the position of visiting senior policy fellow in economic and workforce development in its Office of Economic and Workforce Development. Emily Stover DeRocco, former assistant secretary for the Employment and Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the new senior vice president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Manufacturers, has been appointed the first visiting senior policy fellow.

"Universities can play a leadership role in bringing strategic partners together, in connecting research and development with venture capital, and supporting entrepreneurs, and they are innovators in talent development strategies," said DeRocco, who, in her former position at the DOL was involved in initiatives to use talent development strategies to support regional economic transformation across the country, including Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development, known as WIRED. "Penn State has recognized its power in regional economic development and is looking to expand its impact in the Commonwealth. My role as fellow is to bring my work experience in the development of the university role in formulating and implementing regional competitiveness strategies and continue to both learn and teach in this environment." DeRocco, a Penn State graduate, was also recently selected by the Penn State Board of Trustees to receive a Distinguished Alumni Award.

Tim Franklin, director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, said, "Emily DeRocco can help Penn State to be in the right national and international conversations and networks. Her role will include hosting policy seminars, assisting with speakers for economic summits and advising the University."  

The Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) serves as a leader, catalyst, facilitator and partner in using the resources, expertise and intellectual assets of Penn State to advance economic prosperity in Pennsylvania through sustainable economic and workforce development. For more information, visit http://oewd.psu.edu/ online. The OEWD is part of Penn State Outreach, the largest unified outreach organization in American higher education. Penn State Outreach serves more than 5 million people each year, delivering more than 2,000 programs to people in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, all 50 states and 80 countries worldwide.