Welcome to the Southeast Regional URSCA Conference of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. We are grateful to the University of South Carolina Aiken for hosting this year’s event.
If you are a student participating in the conference and are interested in publishing your research in our online journal, please visit the Metamorphosis website for more information.
Questions? Contact Claire Bailey, COPLAC Program Associate, at bailey@coplac.org or 828-258-7879.
Significance of Education Public Investment Initiatives in Central Appalachia Natalie M. Chapman Faculty mentor: Zafar D. Khan The University of Virginia's College at Wise
This research serves to further and more deeply identify the effects and importance of public investment, specifically education and workforce development investment, on the economy of Central Appalachia. This region includes 83 counties across areas in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. By analyzing the impact of the Appalachian Regional Commission's (ARC) education grant funds on various socioeconomic factors of this region, and observing the changes in coefficients of their rates and statistics over time, the effectiveness of the investments on the region can be determined. The results of this research can then be used to evaluate the possible impact on Central Appalachia, provided that any future budget cuts to the ARC are made.
Natalie Chapman, a native of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, is an economics major and business administration minor. Post-graduation, Natalie plans to spend a few years working in her home region of Central Appalachia before enrolling in a graduate program in one of her interest areas of higher education, public policy, or law. She hopes to ultimately enter a career in public service.
