Campus News

TGCC's Blubaugh to serve as April's JCLS presenter

Topic: Collaborative Approach to Building Region's Outdoor Recreation Economy

TGCC's Delanie Blubaugh will serve as April's presenter in the Joan Crawford Lecture Series at Garrett College. Her presentation will take place April 10th at 6 p.m. the recital hall of the Performing Arts Center at Garrett College.

Delanie Blubaugh, TGCC's Program Manager and emerging community leader, will discuss the newly created Outdoor Recreation Economy Institute at Frostburg State University during her Joan Crawford Lecture Series presentation.

Blubaugh's presentation will take place Wednesday, April 10th at 6 p.m. in the recital hall of the Performing Arts Center at Garrett College. She will focus on the Outdoor Recreation Economy Institute's collaborative efforts with TGCC and other key regional partners, including Garrett College, to build the region's outdoor recreation economy.

The presentation will include an update on one of the Institute's first collaborative efforts. That initiative is a workforce development program supported by the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the Maryland Department of Commerce, which includes a program under development by Garrett College to train marine mechanics needed to fill jobs in demand in the local economy.

Blubaugh characterized outdoor recreation as “arguably, the most powerful asset in Mountain Maryland and the I-68 Region to reinvigorate the economy, create jobs and wealth, and attract and retain people and business." She said outdoor recreation can also play a key role in “reversing 75 years of population decline."

“It presents an opportunity to attract not only service business and jobs, but also manufacturers of outdoor recreation equipment, specialty food products, and clothing, to name a few," added Blubaugh. “The intelligent development of amenities in support of this sector will attract and retain business and workers from all sectors, including remote workers."

The strategic planning and management of public lands, amenities, and diverse businesses catering to this sector will create opportunities to generate and distribute wealth in all sectors of the region's economy, she said.

In 2023, FSU and TGCC collectively raised $1.4 million to support the creation of FSU's Outdoor Recreation Economy Institute (FOREI) within FSU's Division of Regional Development and Engagement (DRDE). FOREI is seeking to strategically position Mountain Maryland and the I-68 Region as a place where outdoor businesses and recreation ecosystems can thrive.

According to FOREI, there are 317,252 acres of public land – including 19 state parks, seven state forests, two national parks and 1,300 miles of developed hiking and biking trails – in the I-68 Region. FOREI is planning a regional approach to supporting the growth of this sector.

“Multiple studies have recommended that Mountain Maryland and the I-68 Region strategically grow this sector as a way of helping to reverse decades of economic and population decline," said Blubaugh. “FOREI's long-term value proposition is its ability to serve as a regional hub to coordinate regional partnerships and facilitate and lead economic and community development."

Garrett College's faculty created the Joan Crawford Lecture Series in honor of the dynamic educator Joan R. Crawford.

Crawford, who died in 2010, served the College community for more than 30 years, including serving as the head of the humanities division and director of enrollment. After her retirement, Crawford was named Professor Emerita.

The Joan Crawford Lecture Series of presentations are offered free of charge, and the public and community members are invited to attend.

All presentations from the Joan Crawford Lecture Series will be available to view online through the College's YouTube page.

For more information, contact Stephanie Miller at stephanie.miller@garrettcollege.edu.