Listen to the podcast episode here
Missouri Northeast is a great place for companies that are looking to grow, make, move, or connect. The region is so unique and innovative that it piqued the interest of award-winning NPR podcast host Tom Wilmer. He recently visited Missouri Northeast to see for himself what the region has to offer.
In the second episode of an eleven-part series, Tom Wilmer sits down with Zac Burden, Mayor of the City of Kirksville, to learn about what the city has to offer.
The City of Kirksville is quickly becoming known as a community where education and innovation meet. In fact, Kirksville has been named the “smartest city in rural America,” offering best-in-class educational resources and more. From award-winning grade schools to Truman University, Kirksville is known nationwide as the place where talented students go to get even smarter.
Tom Wilmer, Journeys of Discovery Podcast Host:
“This is a small town. This is a minimal population county. I never ever expected to find this mecca in the middle of rural Missouri.” (On Truman State University)
Zac Burden, Kirksville Mayor:
“This place is a gem…we were founded as a private teacher’s college in 1867 really with the idea of serving the state of Missouri and how can we help make Missouri school teachers better at what they do… in 1985 we had a specialized mission from the state of Missouri to be Missouri’s public liberal arts and sciences institution with a focus on the kind of education and thinking that is exactly what today’s careers are looking for – people who are able to think independently, who are able to problem solve creatively, bring humanity into the equation. We do that every day here at Truman and are putting people out into the workplace and the world in some really exciting ways.”
Check out the full conversation on the Journeys of Discovery podcast here, and stay tuned for more coverage of Tom’s visit to Missouri Northeast.
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