GNO, Inc. Partners with Region’s 13 Colleges and Universities to Launch StudyNOLA Website – an Interactive Tool to Promote New Orleans as a National Hub for Higher Education
Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.) has partnered with the region’s 13 higher education institutions in an effort to elevate New Orleans’ brand as a major hub for higher education, innovation, and research by developing and launching a new website – StudyNOLA.
The Greater New Orleans region has one of the highest concentrations of higher education institutions per capita in the nation; StudyNOLA highlights and celebrates the diversity and quality of these schools. The StudyNOLA website creates a virtual “one-stop-shop” for prospective students to explore all the higher education opportunities in Greater New Orleans.
“New Orleans is known for its food, music, and festivals, but it also should be known for its higher education,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. “Our public and private institutions, including our HBCU’s, are some of the best in the nation in terms of quality, diversity, and value. StudyNOLA will help others discover that New Orleans is a world-class destination for higher education. This will ultimately lead to more talent for our companies, and more taxpayers for our community.”
The Greater New Orleans region boasts 13 universities and colleges, including three HBCUs, three MBA programs, two medical schools, and two law schools. The goal of StudyNOLA is to create an innovative, easy-to-explore portal to access higher education opportunities in the region, highlighting the world-class education available in metro New Orleans. GNO, Inc. believes that greater awareness of higher education in the region will lead to more students, residents, and ultimately, economic development – because workforce is the lifeblood of business.
“I know from personal experience how powerful and how inspiring our institutions of higher education can be,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Our region’s 13 colleges and universities are a true asset to our people; they have created environments that empower active roles in our community and have provided opportunities for educational and economic advancement. The City will always be a partner for our higher education community, and with the StudyNOLA website, we will be able to illustrate how our institutions help contribute to an accomplished and thriving population and workforce. ”
StudyNOLA has been developed based on best-practices, including efforts by Boston, Atlanta, Texas and Colorado.
The StudyNOLA website features include:
- School profiles
- An interactive quiz that suggests which school fits your interests and goals
- Real student success stories
- Current available internships and job opportunities
- Regional quality of life information
The schools highlighted on StudyNOLA are:
- Delgado Community College
- Dillard University
- Loyola University
- LSU Health Sciences Center
- Northshore Technical Community College
- Nunez Community College
- River Parishes Community College
- Southeastern University of Louisiana
- Southern University of New Orleans
- Tulane University
- University of Holy Cross
- University of New Orleans
- Xavier University of New Orleans
StudyNOLA is made possible by support from the Economic Development Administration. In addition to the 13 higher education partners, GNO, Inc. also partnered with the Regional Planning Commission, Louisiana Economic Development, and the U.S. Commercial Services to launch StudyNOLA.
“The Economic Development Administration is proud to have supported GNO, Inc., in the creation of StudyNOLA,” said Dennis Alvord, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “Higher education and workforce development are key to creating well-paying, quality jobs, which will benefit the community by leading to a stronger, more resilient regional economy.”
“Showcasing the wide range of higher education assets found in Greater New Orleans has been a priority for our organization over the past several years,” said Maggie Woodruff, Director of Economic Development and Contract Administrator at the Regional Planning Commission. “StudyNOLA.com will play a crucial role in attracting new students to these schools and thereby increasing brain gain for the region.”
Those interested can visit: www.studynola.com to get started.
______________________________________________________
Since launching StudyNOLA, the Region’s colleges and universities are saying:
Delgado Community College:
“Serving a city, region, and state that are celebrated worldwide for diversity and cultural richness, Delgado Community College provides a broad range of educational opportunities to students of many different backgrounds—people who have amazing, diverse perspectives, life experiences, and goals for the future,” said Dr. Larissa Littleton-Steib, Chancellor of Delgado Community College. “Meeting each of these students where they are and helping them find a clear path forward is something Delgado excels at doing. Our 100-year history of providing ‘education that works’ makes Delgado the college of choice for 21st-century career preparation and academic achievement. We look forward to working with everyone who comes to us through StudyNOLA. The future is bright and we will go there together!”
Dillard University:
“I have been saying for a few years that New Orleans has a vibrant higher education community and in many ways, we are a college town,” said Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough, President of Dillard University. “We have a top-tier university with professional schools, strong private, liberal arts institutions, a major public research university, community colleges, and we’re one of only 4 cities that has three HBCUs. New Orleans is a perfect place to come or college, and then stay to build the city.”
Loyola University:
“Great cities have great universities, schools that fuel opportunity in an increasingly knowledge-based economy,” “New Orleans is one of the world’s great college towns – a place where the creativity of the city fuels our innovation, research and invention. At Loyola, we are thrilled to support local economic development by creating the kinds of programs job-creators need to attract and train talent. We have been an engine of opportunity in this city for more than a century, and we look forward to expanding our reach.”
LSU Health Sciences Center:
“LSU Health New Orleans is Louisiana’s most comprehensive health university,” notes Chancellor Larry Hollier, MD. “Our school of medicine, the only dental school in the nation offering degrees in dentistry, dental hygiene and dental laboratory technology, top-ten ranked nursing school, schools of allied health professions and graduate studies, along with the state’s only public school of public health, educate the majority of Louisiana’s health professionals. LSU Health New Orleans pioneered interprofessional education in Louisiana, giving our students the advantage of years of experience working as members of a health care team before they enter practice. Our innovative faculty research is solving serious health issues. Our hands-on pipeline programs are preparing the next generations of research scientists, health care professionals, and faculty.”
Northshore Technical Community College:
“It’s never been more important to have access to educational and career pathways through one comprehensive online resource,” said Dr. Daniel Roberts, Provost at Northshore Technical Community College. “StudyNOLA is an innovative approach for students seeking opportunities for educational goal attainment through Northshore Technical Community College while also guiding students in the alignment of their educational goals with a rewarding career in the Greater New Orleans region.”
Nunez Community College:
“Nunez Community College offers access and affordability to both educational and workforce credentials that make our students marketable to employers and provide a solid foundation for upward mobility,” said Tina M. Tinney, Ed. D., Chancellor of Nunez Community College. “With unique and diversified programs in fields such as Aerospace Manufacturing and Coastal Studies & GIS Technology, we pride ourselves on preparing students for not just a job, but for a career that is relevant to the workforce of both today and tomorrow. Post-secondary education options abound across the metropolitan New Orleans region, and StudyNOLA is a critical asset in exposing students to the full spectrum of options and opportunities.”
River Parishes Community College:
“I believe that it is critical that our partnerships with university and our sister community colleges go beyond a transfer relationship,” said RPCC’s Interim Chancellor, Jim Carlson. “The StudyNOLA website will enable us to collaborate to accomplish shared institutional goals, while showcasing our rich educational opportunities within the Greater New Orleans Region. We are excited about the possibilities that await our future students, thanks to this new partnership with GNO, Inc.”
Southeastern University of Louisiana:
“Southeastern is proud to be a part of StudyNOLA,” said John L. Crain, President of Southeastern Louisiana University. “This initiative can help students take their next steps after high school and can also attract students from outside of the region to learn and live in the area.”
Southern University of New Orleans:
“Southern University at New Orleans is honored to participate in Greater New Orleans’ Study Nola Initiative, said Dr. James H. Ammons Jr., Chancellor of Southern University at New Orleans. “New Orleans is famous for its rich history and cultural diversity which is woven into our lives through our food, music, art and architecture. A fact often overlooked is that our great city is the home of 13 institutions of higher learning. The Study Nola Initiative is important because it spotlights local colleges and universities and attracts new residents to the city.”
Tulane University:
“New Orleans is world-famous for its music, food and architecture. But it also attracts top scholars from around the globe who seek a transformative educational experience in one of the most historic, culturally rich and environmentally significant regions of the world. These are some of the reasons so many from out-of-state and abroad arrive as students and remain as lifelong New Orleanians.”
University of Holy Cross:
“New Orleans is the perfect setting for college and post-graduate studies,” said Dr. Stanton McNeely, President of University of Holy Cross. “Ours is a city of incredible opportunity for learners interested in healthcare, business, history, food science, and much, much more – and these are all areas of study the University of Holy Cross prides itself on offering to students from across the country. And when you have free time, our city offers countless festivals and events, world-class cuisine, a diverse close-knit community, championship sports teams, more than 300 years of history – the list just goes on and on.”
University of New Orleans:
“I’m eager to partner with GNO, Inc. and our sister institutions on this exciting initiative,” said John Nicklow, Ph.D., President of the University of New Orleans. “It represents a long-overdue effort to market New Orleans as a higher education destination and showcase the unique opportunities that exist at each of our colleges and universities.”
Xavier University of New Orleans:
“The StudyNOLA initiative will help potential students find the best fit for their academic and career goals,” said Reynold Verret, President of Xavier University of Louisiana. “The city of New Orleans has so many great options for higher education, it can be overwhelming. We are excited to meet the next generation of Xavierites who may have used StudyNOLA as they decided on the path best for them.”