The return of college students to Fargo-Moorhead is always a cause for celebration. F-M is a "college town." Some 25,000 students on the three residential campuses and thousands more in commuter and professional post-secondary schools add a level of liveliness and energy to the community that only young people can bring.
And these days, it's not only young people. The profiles of student populations include more and more highly motivated older-than-average students. It's a delightful mix of young and not-so-young, all contributing to the charged educational atmosphere of a college town.
In addition to the positive educational and cultural impact of the campuses, the sometimes unsung work of world-class researchers puts Fargo-Moorhead on national and international stages. One of the reasons out-of-state and foreign students flock to local campuses is the research component of the schools, especially the programs at North Dakota State University. Disciplines ranging from agriculture to pharmacy to biosciences and engineering attract some of the best and brightest in the nation and the world. All of them add to the positive impacts the campuses have on the community.
Cultural offerings of all kinds enhance life in the region, whether it's drama, concerts, lectures or visual arts. The quality and appeal of collegiate sports puts the schools on yet another national map.
Finally, the economic impact of students, faculty and campus programs cannot be minimized. The campuses are among the major engines of broad-based economic activity in the region.
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We welcome students, faculty and staff back for another school year. The community is a richer, stronger, more interesting place because of the campuses.
Forum editorials represent the opinion of Forum management and the newspaper's Editorial Board.
