MacMurray delivers significant economic benefit to the area, study shows
November 5, 2019
MacMurray College plays a significant role in the local and state economy, according to an economic impact report by the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University.
The report shows MacMurray generates more than $40 million in production and sale of goods and services in the State of Illinois, employs 444 full and part-time positions, generates $15.5 million in labor income and employment compensation, and nearly $5.8 million in public revenues. The college is shown to have its largest impact in Morgan County and the surrounding counties, including Sangamon County and the city of Springfield.
“The role of MacMurray College goes well beyond what is learned on our campus,” Dr. Beverly Rodgers, MacMurray College president, said. “The economic impact of the college is much larger than most might realize, and this report shows just how important MacMurray is to the community.”
Operational expenditures and employment are the main sources to the economic impact. Specifically, Morgan County also sees benefits from personal expenditures by its students and household expenditures of retired MacMurray staff and faculty continuing to reside in the area. Plus, graduates of MacMurray College strengthen the workforce as a result of a portion of those graduates choosing to remain in Jacksonville and Morgan County. Additionally, the college generates economic value to the region through related tourism expenditures by non-local visitors with events like Homecoming, Commencement and sporting events.
“I’m proud of the impact, both economically and socially, that MacMurray has on the Jacksonville community,” Rodgers said. “A thriving MacMurray College benefits the entire area and having the support of the community will allow us to continue to expand our impact.”
The study was conducted for the college by the Rural Economic Technical Assistance Center, a unit within the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at WIU. The group used the IMPLAN model, a nationally recognized input/output economic impact modeling software.
A copy of the economic impact study can be found at https://www.mac.edu/about/docs/economic-impact-report.pdf