The national dialogue regarding innovation, higher education’s future, and economic advancement has disproportionately focused on a select group of colleges and universities, largely concentrated in coastal hubs of influence. This focus has neglected the rest of the nation and weakened the overall structure of American capitalism and democracy.
However, there’s an alternative path forward that centers on the American heartland.
Across the nation, families and employers are facing significant changes. Simultaneously, technological advancements are rapidly occurring, with AI reshaping industries, new sectors emerging, and the demand for skilled workers evolving quickly. This is happening when economic pressures are impacting families, and many Americans are questioning the effectiveness of existing systems. America’s ability to lead in this evolving landscape hinges on its response.
With strong leadership and robust collaboration between universities and the private sector, the heartland can spearhead America’s next phase of innovation, economic competitiveness, and widespread prosperity. Businesses and philanthropists are uniquely positioned to leverage this critical moment, which requires a more inclusive era of American innovation and entrepreneurial growth.
In the Midwest, universities are collaborating closely with businesses, demonstrating that future innovation and growth will not be limited to specific regions. This area is ideally positioned to drive America’s resurgence, possessing the necessary determination, talent, urgency, and values that ground capitalism in real-life experiences and impact.
The nation often overlooks significant innovation happening in the heartland. Despite these breakthroughs, venture capital investments remain heavily concentrated in California, New York, and other coastal cities. Research centers are partnering with hospitals and farms, and students across the country are collaborating with local employers in fields like AI, energy, bioscience, and robotics. This is where innovation is scaled and benefits everyday individuals, not just markets or valuations.
The future of American prosperity hinges on continued investment from states, the federal government, and individual donors in public universities that are integrated within their communities. These institutions serve as catalysts for discovery, entrepreneurship, and upward mobility for millions. For over 80 years, universities have partnered with government and industry to foster innovation, advance research, and cultivate a skilled workforce. For the United States to maintain its global leadership position, these three sectors must renew and strengthen their collaboration to address emerging challenges and opportunities.
Public institutions account for three-quarters of the approximately 19 million college students in the United States, according to data. Specifically, America’s land-grant institutions, created for and by the people, are uniquely suited to redefine the value proposition of higher education for the next generation. Access and opportunity are central to their mission, driving them to work that directly benefits the communities they serve.
Their purpose is to improve life within their communities.
At The Ohio State University, there is a growing demand for affordable academic programs, strong industry partnerships, and innovation-driven education and research. This is why they launched the initiative and joined the initiative from OpenAI, which brings additional research grants, funding, and API access to AI-related work on campus.
To expand partnerships like these, a shift in mindset is needed, both within universities and across business and philanthropy. Investors and employers must recognize the Midwest as a source of ideas, talent, and leadership. More broadly, research funding and economic incentives must reach all areas of America. These investments strengthen the United States’ resilience and global competitiveness while unlocking a broader range of ideas, perspectives, and solutions. When America invests in its universities, it invests in well-rounded citizens, promoting social mobility and stability, and research that saves lives.
This is based on experience. One author is a former Navy airman turned university president, while the other is a software entrepreneur turned university benefactor and investor. They have seen how cross-sector leadership can create lasting, inclusive growth. However, this effort cannot be fragmented. A national call to action is needed to guide how, where, and why America invests in its future.
That future can begin in the heartland, if its potential is recognized and acted upon.
The heartland holds not only the key to America’s economic future but also the promise of a robust economy that is rooted in community, driven by purpose, and capable of restoring faith in the systems designed to serve everyone.
