Well Said: Revitalizing Morganton
On this week's podcast, Carolina alumna Sara Chester talks about how she is working to redefine a North Carolina city and the industries it has relied on for decades.
Morganton, North Carolina, has historically been known for its strong manufacturing and textile industries, but those industries took a significant hit during the 2009 recession and companies moved much of their operations overseas. Unemployment in the town rocketed to 15%.
Carolina alumna Sara Chester ’07 saw that downturn as a chance to reshape the city’s economy and build a better future by encouraging businesses to plant their roots in Morganton.
Now, she is working to bring Morganton back to prosperity as the co-executive director of the Industrial Commons, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing an inclusive economy throughout western North Carolina and creating a culture of dignity for manufacturing workers.
On this week’s episode, Chester talks about how Industrial Commons is redefining Morganton and the industries it has relied on for decades by harnessing the power of local workers and small businesses.
This episode of Well Said can be heard in the player above, on SoundCloud, Spotify or wherever podcasts are played.
Join us every other Wednesday for Well Said to hear from students, faculty, staff and alumni. Each week, you’ll learn what’s going on in classrooms, labs and around campus, and how it pertains to the local, national and international headlines.
