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Iowa State University educates more Iowans than any other institution. In fact, more than half of Iowa State's student population is from Iowa with 20,171 in-state students, representing all 99 counties. Additionally, Cyclones make up the largest alumni body in Iowa with well over 100,000 alumni contributing to the economic health of the state.
As Iowa's only land-grant university, Iowa State connects not only with alumni, but with all Iowans through Extension and Outreach's 99 county campus. Each year ISU Extension and Outreach directly benefits more than one million people and is responsible for more than five million educational interactions. Covering the entire lifespan from our youngest to oldest Iowans, we're focused on feeding people, keeping them healthy, empowering communities, and turning the world over to the next generation better than we found it.
That's not the only way we're building a strong Iowa.
In 2016 Iowa State was designated as an Innovation & Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) in recognition of its strong commitment to economic engagement and its work with public and private sector partners in the state and region to promote economic development.
Last year, the university's Economic Development and Industry Relations (EDIR) team provided business and technical assistance and training to more than 6,100 Iowa businesses and helped nearly 300 new businesses get started. The outcomes reported by clients were almost 7,700 new and retained jobs plus approximately $915 million worth of impact on the state economy in terms of increased sales, cost reduction or avoidance, and capital infusion. Additionally, the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship reported more than 5,000 students participated in programs and classes focused on entrepreneurship, startups, and small business.
The Economic Development Core Facility within ISU's Research Park serves as the hub for all of this economic activity. Through collaboration and innovation, the Research Park helps tenants reach proprietary goals and assists companies in a setting that encourages entrepreneurial ventures and working relationships with Iowa State students and researchers. More than 80 tenants employing 1,700 people call the Park home. Current tenants alone account for more than $100 million annually in economic activity. In addition, companies that started at the Park and have since expanded or relocated elsewhere in Iowa employ an additional 2,500 employees.
We're paving the way for the next generation of thought leaders in Iowa's workforce. It's no wonder that more Iowa high school graduates and transfer students enroll at Iowa State than anywhere else.
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