Grace 'grows opportunities'

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer-

"Growing opportunities" was the theme for Thursday's Education Summit XII.

One of several local colleges is hoping to grow career opportunities for its students in the orthopedic industry.

Grace College's Dr. Steven Grill and Michael Harstine gave the keynote presentation at the summit on Grace's Orthopedic Scholar Institute. The mission of OSI is "to establish preferred employment opportunities for Grace College graduates in the orthopedic industry."

Grill said, "OSI is something that can change lives ... for the better." The best and brightest can be chosen to come to this county, study here and remain here at jobs. "Orthopedic scholars is a program designed to make that happen."

Harstine said OSI originally was drafted as part of his Kosciusko Leadership Academy White Paper in 1992-93. He wanted to start it, he said, because this community is unbelievable to live and work in and it's taken for granted. The three local orthopedic companies - Biomet, DePuy, Zimmer - make more than $12 billion per year and continue to grow and provide the county with so much.

He said one reason OSI was created was to make sure something is done educationally to keep this community thriving 30 years from now. Secondly, he said businesses in the community give and give and "rarely do they get something back in return."

Harstine said they looked at the orthopedic companies and wondered what could be given back to them for all they do. Intellectual capital was the answer.

"It's really to train people differently," he said of OSI.

When chosen Grace students complete the program, Harstine said they will become the "preferred candidate" for jobs at the local companies.

Also making a presentation was Kosciusko Literacy Service Executive Director Brenda Rigdon. She presented this year's "Plant the Seed - Read" book, which is "Cold Sassy Tree." The book is set in 1906 Georgia and is "about life, love and death in small-town America" and the effects our actions have on others.

The books can be picked up around the community in yellow bins, read and passed on to others, or returned to the bins. [[In-content Ad]]

"Growing opportunities" was the theme for Thursday's Education Summit XII.

One of several local colleges is hoping to grow career opportunities for its students in the orthopedic industry.

Grace College's Dr. Steven Grill and Michael Harstine gave the keynote presentation at the summit on Grace's Orthopedic Scholar Institute. The mission of OSI is "to establish preferred employment opportunities for Grace College graduates in the orthopedic industry."

Grill said, "OSI is something that can change lives ... for the better." The best and brightest can be chosen to come to this county, study here and remain here at jobs. "Orthopedic scholars is a program designed to make that happen."

Harstine said OSI originally was drafted as part of his Kosciusko Leadership Academy White Paper in 1992-93. He wanted to start it, he said, because this community is unbelievable to live and work in and it's taken for granted. The three local orthopedic companies - Biomet, DePuy, Zimmer - make more than $12 billion per year and continue to grow and provide the county with so much.

He said one reason OSI was created was to make sure something is done educationally to keep this community thriving 30 years from now. Secondly, he said businesses in the community give and give and "rarely do they get something back in return."

Harstine said they looked at the orthopedic companies and wondered what could be given back to them for all they do. Intellectual capital was the answer.

"It's really to train people differently," he said of OSI.

When chosen Grace students complete the program, Harstine said they will become the "preferred candidate" for jobs at the local companies.

Also making a presentation was Kosciusko Literacy Service Executive Director Brenda Rigdon. She presented this year's "Plant the Seed - Read" book, which is "Cold Sassy Tree." The book is set in 1906 Georgia and is "about life, love and death in small-town America" and the effects our actions have on others.

The books can be picked up around the community in yellow bins, read and passed on to others, or returned to the bins. [[In-content Ad]]

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