The city's colleges and universities impact local life in important and unexpected ways. Mobile has been a college town since 1830, the year the Diocese of Mobile's first bishop, Michael Portier, purchased 300 acres of land on a hilltop six miles west of the city for a seminary and boarding school. Thirty students, ages 9 and older, enrolled the first year. In the 1920s, the school ended classes for younger boys. The high school closed in 1935. For more than a century, "the sons of Mobile's established families - Catholic or otherwise - attended Spring Hill High School and the college," according to the college's history. In the early 1930s, women were admitted in an extension program. (Yale and Princeton, in contrast, did not admit women until 1969.) In 1954, nine black students enrolled in the college. For 10 years, Spring Hill was the only desegregated white college in the Deep South. Today, it has an enrollment of 1,500 students, representing a myriad of backgrounds. It is hard to imagine Mobile's present without the influence Spring Hill has had on its past. For more than 175 years, the college has been a pool that spawned leaders and leadership in business, science, politics and the arts. That is what colleges do. Here is a look at the significant advantages of having higher education options close to home. HOME-GROWN TALENT With the national average for room and board topping $6,900 a year - in addition to tuition and fees of $6,500 - local options for a college education are more important than ever. Studies also point out that people are more likely to continue education when they only have to drive 30 minutes or less to do so. Mobile Bay area colleges and universities offer many opportunities for commuters. The University of South Alabama, with average annual tuition and fees of $5,512, has seen enrollment soar to a record 14,003 students. Affordability is one reason for the increase. But, equally important, the 46-year-old university has reached a critical mass of academic excellence. For example, before USA's medical school opened in 1973, the closest medical schools were in Birmingham, Jackson, Miss., New Orleans, and Gainesville. Now that there is a local option, approximately 2,000 physicians have graduated from USA's College of Medicine. Many have stayed in our area, points out Dr. Samuel J. Strada, dean of the USA College of Medicine. "Approximately one-third of all practicing physicians in Mobile and Baldwin Counties trained in our system. The medical school, and our residency programs, have a profound impact on physician workforce development, locally and regionally." Allied health programs at area schools also play a role in medical job training, says Dr. Roger Tart, president of the Medical Society of Mobile County. "Without these programs, medical associates would have to be recruited from other cities and often trained on the job. Health education provides an opportunity for individuals to enter the medical field at a higher level than they could otherwise achieve." Now, with all the schools, "Our young people are better exposed to all that's going on in the medical world, and there are so many opportunities for them right at home," says retired physician Dr. Byron Green. This year, with the opening of the cutting-edge, $125-million USA Mitchell Cancer Institute, the biomedical field has never been so promising in Mobile. Already, the institute has attracted world-class researchers and physicians. MEDICINE IS NOT THE ONLY DISCIPLINE WITH WIND AT ITS BACK "Both ThyssenKrupp and Northrop Grumman/EADS were very interested in engineering programs, because that is a continuous feed into their workforce," says Bill Sisson, vice president of economic development for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. Expanding programs in engineering and aerospace show the Bay means business, notes Darrelyn Bender, president and CEO of the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce. They are very sharp tools in the recruitment toolbox. "Companies like knowing that schools are willing to take on the challenge of growing a workforce to meet future needs." GOOD BOSSES The Bay area's schools are "a very strong part of our economy, especially considering the higher paying positions they provide," says Sisson. The University of South Alabama, alone, has an annual estimated economic impact of $2 billion. It is Mobile County's single largest employer. Salaries are not the only boost. In 2007, according to Strada, the medical school faculty was collectively awarded almost $20 million in extramurally supported research and training grants. "A study from the Association of American Medical Colleges shows that research dollars have a multiplier factor of 2.3," he points out. "This translates to $45 million in outside economic stimulus to our region from research dollars alone." QUALITY OF LIFE The two college campuses in Fairhope, the University of South Alabama, Baldwin County campus and Faulkner State Community College, add much to the vitality of downtown, says Fairhope Mayor Tim Kant. "I don't know a cleaner industry with a bigger impact than education. That's why it's always been very important to Fairhope to support these schools." Sisson adds, "Colleges provide an energy that feeds our quality of life." Charlie Smoke, director of community development at the Mobile Arts Council, notes that while colleges and universities train artists who work and teach in our area, they also help develop an audience for the arts. "And, that's perhaps just as significant," he says. College arts faculty members also contribute their time and know-how. They serve on boards, direct and star in plays, conduct bands, design scenery, exhibit their art and write and lecture. "Without the schools, we wouldn't have many of these talented people in our community," says Smoke. Carlos Parkman, president and CEO of the Centre for the Living Arts, gives direct credit to the University of South Alabama for one Mobile arts landmark. "In 1972, when the Saenger Theatre was in danger of being torn down, USA bought it. And because they didn't do a 1970s-style renovation, we have a wonderful historic building that we've now brought back to prominence." The Centre for the Living Arts manages the facility, which the City of Mobile purchased from USA in 1999. One indirect benefit for area arts is the supplemental income university music programs provide. The symphony and opera may offer up to 20 performances a year. That is not full-time work. Teaching and performing with college ensembles fill the gap. Opportunities through the colleges are an important way to attract and keep quality musicians in town. FLEXIBLE PROGRAMS TO MEET A CHANGING WORLD Community colleges are generally more adaptable than four-year schools, Sisson notes. "Bishop State and the entire community college system can quickly create and customize training programs to meet the needs of new industry that might not require bachelor's degrees, but will require specific training." Local colleges continue to work on the cutting edge of technology, says Bender, citing new aerospace courses. She notes that the United States Sports Academy, in Daphne, "was one of the first schools in the country to offer online training. It's a big part of their program today, and has allowed them to teach abroad. "Of course, that puts our whole area on the global map too, in a way that we wouldn't otherwise enjoy." Image information: Main: University of South Alabama Jaguar fans, like these, are getting fired up for the fall premiere of the school's first football team. Left: Fr. Greg Lucey retires this month after 12 years of leading Spring Hill College. During his tenure six new buildings were constructed and 12 remodeled, all in keeping with the campus's classic look. Center: The University of Mobile consistently has been named one of "America's Best Christian Colleges." It has a student:faculty ratio of 14:1, an average class size of 15, and a student body from 29 states and 24 nations. Right: Bishop State Community College attracts students from all over the nation, as well as locally and regionally. Career training is a strong draw.