Guam’s population in one way or another is highly involved with UOG — sometimes emotionally.
Including this June’s 360 graduates, some 19,000 people have graduated from UOG, according to the UOG Alumni Association. Practically everybody on-island has a member of the family who either attended UOG, is attending UOG or is planning on studying there.
In recent generations, more people are related to faculty members as well. (More than one of my former classmates is now a member of the faculty.)
A university town has certain characteristics.
While you cannot say the University of Guam has a “university town,” the island of Guam does have some of the traits of one.
A university town’s residents are typically involved economically with their university, and this means more than shelling out fees.
If your company is anything like mine, you employ UOG’s graduates. You might be a UOG vendor. Or a UOG employee may be spending money at your business.
You will then be somewhere in the trickle-down chain of UOG’s economic impact on the island.
In this issue of the magazine we unveil Professor Ma. Claret Ruane’s report on the economic impact of UOG.
You’ll find lots of information on where UOG’s money is spent. And you might be impressed by how much the university brings in through grants — particularly since it has developed a research corporation. A story about the corporation complements the report.
The magazine also asked some people with a relationship with UOG to share their thoughts.
Aside from the dollar value of UOG, Ruane’s report gives a sense of what a robust place it is, how well it generates growth, and how that growth spills into the island.
If you are not doing business with UOG or supporting it, the report may give you some reasons and ideas on how to do so.
Our other coverage includes a look at the beverage industry — a staple in our lives and in our hospitality industry.
We also talk to some small businesses and some of the civic organizations that host so many of them in their memberships.
In this issue, our profiles share the stories of two executives who took two very different journeys to their leadership roles — but also are both making an economic impact in the islands.
