Rhodes scholars could help stop Indiana ‘brain drain’ | Palladium-Item | pal-item.com

Thank you state Sen. Jean Leising for authoring Senate Resolution 10, establishing a study committee “to study the causes of and solutions for higher than state average unemployment rates and lower than state average per capita income in certain Hoosier counties” (New Castle Courier Times, Jan. 24).

The American dream of upward mobility for the next generation is unfortunately now endangered in our country (Time, Nov. 14, 2011). Upward mobility is especially at risk with long-term, double-digit unemployment throughout most counties of eastern and southeastern Indiana, which are especially caught in the Catch-22 between “brain drain” and branch plants.

Ohio employs 78 percent of 2010 undergraduates from its state universities. By comparison, Indiana employs only 60 percent (Indiana Public Radio, Jan. 26). That means Indiana lost at least 40 percent of undergraduates to other states or they are still unemployed. As these figures do not include Hoosiers graduating from Indiana’s private, nor out-of-state schools, our percentage may be higher.

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