Monmouth College students study how Galesburg can attract millenials

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What will it take to bring more millenials to Galesburg?

Research done by a politics and government class at Monmouth College says job availability, cost of living and nightlife are the answers.

Professor Robin Johnson’s senior level “Politics and Government in the Midwest” class partnered with the Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development and the City of Galesburg in the spring semester.

Their mission was to compare Galesburg to similar cities to see what strategies could be utilized locally and to conduct a survey of 210 Monmouth juniors and seniors of what they’re looking for in a town to work and live in after graduation.

President of the KCAPED Ken Springer tells WGIL that he hoped to give the class a research topic that the partnership could utilize but that isn’t necessarily a part of their primary work plan for the year.

“I think this is good information going forward,” Springer says. “I’d love to see the survey expanded and maybe getting it into the hands of perhaps high school students or community college students in the region as well to build upon it.”

Springer adds that Knox County’s median age is over 41 against a nation wide average of 37.

“We definitely have to get younger,” Springer adds. “We definitely have to add ways we can energize and make this community attractive to the next generation of leaders.”

Springer says that this research will aid in the partnerships long term goal of reversing a population decline that’s persisted since 1980.

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