Prairie Business Magazine recently named Valley City State University (VCSU) President Dr. Steve Shirley one of the 40 under 40 business leaders who are making a difference in North Dakota and South Dakota. In recognizing Dr. Shirley’s leadership, the magazine cited VCSU’s three consecutive years of growth and the creation of two new academic centers.      

As a partner in our educational achievement initiative, we’ve experienced Dr. Shirley’s courageous leadership first-hand. We’re working with VCSU and 13 higher education institutions in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota to transform teacher training. This partnership, the Network for Excellence in Teaching (NExT), aims to recruit high-caliber students to pursue teaching, prepare them well, place them in schools and support them once they get there.

Research shows teacher effectiveness is the number one in-school factor for improving student performance and reducing disparities. Over the next 10 years, projections show the three states may need as many as 25,000 new teachers. To prepare for this need, we’re focusing on recruiting and training the teachers of tomorrow. Our ultimate goal is to ensure more P-12 students go on to some form of post-secondary education and that the achievement gaps narrow.  Accomplishing these goals will take the continued leadership of higher education professionals, like Dr. Shirley and our partners, as we work together to improve educational outcomes for young people.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.