University of Missouri System president encourages higher ed

Editor's note: The following story has been edited to correct the total earnings for a person with a college degree over their life.

Although college costs continue to climb, University of Missouri System president Tim Wolfe stopped Wednesday at R.O. Hawkins Junior High School in Jackson to bring the message that higher education still is a good value.

The visit was part of Wolfe's Show Me Value Tour, which he began in March. About 750 eighth- and ninth-graders made their way to the school's new gym to hear Wolfe's presentation, "Find Your Path to Success."

"There is no greater investment in your future than a college education," Wolfe said. College graduates earn $1.6 million more over their lifetimes than those without a college degree, he said. That means $540 more in a worker's pocket every week.

Wolfe said studies show college graduates live nine years longer than those who graduate only high school; college graduates' quality of life is better because they make better lifestyle decisions; and college grads are less likely to lose their jobs during a recession.

Although he is the UM system president, Wolfe said Missouri has many options for higher education, with 13 four-year institutions and 12 two-year institutions. He said Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau is a "great choice" as well.

Tuition costs at the University of Missouri vary according to degree program, but Wolfe said the "list price" is $9,500 to $9,600. Books and lodging are added for a total of $20,000 to $22,000, but that can be discounted by financial aid and scholarships, Wolfe said.

"Those who take on debt, they average around $19,000 to $20,000 debt, which is below the national average of $24,000 to $26,000," he said.

Eight of 10 University of Missouri students get some form of aid. And if students have academic credentials but have a financial challenge, "we can work with you" to ensure you get a college education, Wolfe said.

Tuition also cannot rise more than the Consumer Price Index under Senate Bill 389, so the average increase has been just 2 percent over the past five years. Surrounding states have seen an average spike of 6 percent, Wolfe said during an editorial board meeting at the Southeast Missourian following the Jackson visit.

Those who graduate with "crushing debt" and can't find jobs, Wolfe said, are the minority. "Most people do graduate and go on to successful careers," he said.

The university has 340 students and 1,582 graduates who live in Jackson.

Wolfe also put up a slide showing that 42 dentists, 93 lawyers, 24 veterinarians, 76 doctors, 58 nurses and 284 engineers come from the Jackson area.

As for Wolfe personally, his parents are retired University of Missouri college professors, so his going to college was expected. He advised Jackson students to follow their passion when deciding what they want to study.

IBM Corp. in Missouri hired Wolfe out of college in 1980, and he spent 20 years with the corporation, ending up as vice president and general manager of the global distribution sector, the University of Missouri's website said.

From 2000 to 2003, Wolfe was executive vice president of Covansys, a global consulting and technology services company in Farmington Hills, Mich.

In 2003, he joined Novell, a leading provider of infrastructure software. As a member of the senior management team for the organization, he was responsible for more than 3,000 employees and partner firms in the United States, Canada and Latin America.

After a break, he received a call asking whether he'd like to be system president of the University of Missouri, and that's where he's been since 2012. Along with Columbia, Kansas City and St. Louis, the system contains the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. The system has 75,000 students, offers 670 degrees and has 24,000 employees.

Over the past 12 years, enrollment at the four campuses is up 19,000, to about 75,000 total, chief communications officer John Fougere said. The four campuses have accounted for nearly 90 percent of all full-time undergraduate enrollment growth among the state's four-year institutions in the past decade.

The university hopes some of those new students might come from Jackson.

Wednesday's event marked the first time the junior high hosted a presentation such as this, assistant superintendent Beth Emmendorfer said. Wolfe plans to stop at one school each month until the end of the year.

Ninth-grader Kesler Michie said University of Missouri always has been her top choice for college. "I've always had that in my mind. I usually try to strive for perfection to get to college easily," Kesler said, adding that she plans to study political science and law when she gets there.

"I think it has a great impact on this age. This is the age we're starting to work with them on their four-year plan" to finish high school, assistant superintendent Beth Emmendorfer said. "It's great to have someone from the university come talk to them about the benefits of that college education."

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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