Louisiana has nearly one million people living below the poverty line, and ULM president, Dr. Ron Berry says the university’s new strategic plan outlines how it can start changing that for the northeast region of our state.
“We’re not naive enough to think that we can truly eliminate (poverty), but we’re gonna do our best to have a huge impact,” he said. “Our new strategic plan is all about human development.”
Berry says ULM will strengthen ties with elementary school students to help guide them on the path to college while creating new pathways for adult learners to improve themselves.
“We need to be more engaged in the community,” said Berry. “We need to provide more opportunities for adult learners, as well. There’s lots of ways to invest that money into changing lives.”
The plan also calls for the university to raise $250 million by its 100th anniversary in 2031 in order to improve campus infrastructure, build a new Biomedical Research innovation park, and fund the new programs.
“Impacting poverty and giving people different opportunities, different pathways, cost money,” Berry added. “So all of us at UL-M will be engaged in seeking out new financial resources.”
Berry added that ULM has set an enrollment goal of 10,000. In 2021, roughly 8500 students were on campus, counting both undergraduate and graduate figures.
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