Vision

Evan Dobelle has spent a distinguished career in education and public office focusing on making higher education as accessible, affordable, and exceptional as possible for people from all walks of life. In particular, he has advocated strongly on issues of public-private partnerships in support of educational initiatives, and “The Creative Economy”. He has worked tirelessly to encourage students to gain broader understanding   through community service, and international experience.

According to Dobelle, “With regard to the global marketplace, we cannot predict the next big development with precision. But we can prepare a highly educated, agile workforce that is able to adapt to new technologies and industries as they emerge. For example, as the content carried by our televisions, web sites, computer games, and movies becomes dramatically more sophisticated and intertwined, a burgeoning digital media industry will demand creative technicians, producers, digital artists, and programmers.”

In addition to the Creative Economy, Dobelle is concerned about the overall socioeconomic issues in America’s cities. He was worked to improve the neighborhoods in which his colleges resided. The New York Times, in an article published on April 14, 1997, noted the efforts of “this unorthodox college president…to restore his community to health and his institution to preeminence.”

In the article, Dobelle who was then at Trinity, was quoted as saying, “We’re an institution of privilege, we have a significant endowment, we don’t pay taxes, yet we sit on our hands and say, ‘America’s going to hell and that’s too bad.’ Do we continue to presume that it’s O.K. to teach liberal arts to students here, and talk about civility, and not be concerned about what’s across the street?”

Today, as President of Westfield State College, Dr. Dobelle recognizes others’ efforts to do the same. He has researched and compiled the “Saviors of Our Cities” list, which spotlights the top 25 universities and colleges that are “exemplary examples of community revitalization and cultural renewal, economic drivers of the local economy, advocates of community service and urban developers, both commercially as well as in housing.”

Scripps-Howard columnist Dan Thomasson wrote:
“At last a list that matters…a long overdue approach that measures a school’s stature on the strength of its commitment to help save the nation’s cities from increasing blight.”

Published every 3 years.  The next list of the top 25 will be released in the Fall of 2009 and will include in addition The Top 10 Metroversities; regions that have become the leading "College Cities" in America.