Riverland hosts community input session to help build strategic plan

Often considered the best kept secret of Owatonna, the community's only higher education presence is looking to remove that title.

Riverland Community College hosted a community input session last week in an attempt to learn more about how they were viewed in Owatonna, what people know about the college, and what they would like to see the campus provide the community to help fill gaps.

The session was one of three the college held, the others being at the Albert Lea and Austin campuses, to help the school construct its long term strategic plan out to 2030.

In attendance for the Owatonna listening session included representatives from the City Council and city staff, the Owatonna Chamber of Commerce, the Owatonna Area Business Development Center and a handful of the top employers within the community. Separated into small groups, the attendees worked with Riverland staff to answer questions about the college and what they would like to see the college expand on to fill personal and community needs.

Kris Busse, Owatonna City Administrator, said she sees the community input sessions as an important part of the strategic planning process, something the city has also done in the past.

"Riverland is an underutilized asset in town, and it feels a bit like Owatonna is an overlooked campus," Busse said. "We want this to be a vibrant location, and so it's great they are trying to find a focus for this campus."

In recent years, advanced manufacturing programs have increased at the Owatonna campus. Other trade skills have been increased due to popular demand, including most recently a mobile welding training lab. The training lab, a trailer with air conditioning and down-draft ventilation to keep particulates our of the air and away from the learners, allows up to eight students at a time to practice welding. Instruction using the trailer can be arranged through Riverland Customized Training and be specially designed for a company's specific needs.

Riverland invites the greater community to also provide input for the strategic plan by taking an online survey at bit.ly/4eK95aQ . The survey will be open through July 15.