The Council of Fellows met on the morning of Oct. 6 at Knowledge Park’s Samuel P. Black III Knowledge Center. But what, exactly, is the Council of Fellows?

Chancellor Ralph Ford described the event as follows: “The Council of Fellows is a group of community members who serve in an advisory role”. The group consists of approximately 100 members and goes back to the 1950s and 1960s. Ford continued, “We like to give them updates about what’s going on in the college, and provide them with some information about the impact that we can have as an institution.” The council holds around three regular update meetings during the year. In addition to the council, the smaller Council of Fellows Board of Directors meets more regularly to discuss Behrend strategy. “They are very focused on students”, concluded Ford.

The meeting began with a welcome and call to order from Tom Hoffman, followed by Ford’s report. Ford updated the council that Behrend ranks 11th in the regional north. Additionally, it ranks 6th among public universities, 15th for best value, and 3rd for veterans.

Ford continued that the Center for Manufacturing Competitiveness was approved by the board of trustees in September. The $19.2 million building is expected to be completed by the Spring of 2028. The project still needs to raise $1.7 million for its completion. Ford highlighted that Behrend is having a great philanthropic year; Behrend alumni Brian and Pamela Kupchella donated $1 million to support Behrend’s strategic plan.

As for enrollment, residential enrollment at Behrend has fallen from 3,368 to 3,250, while World Campus students have grown from 1,018 to 1,100.

Behrend’s athletic programs are having an excellent year. Soccer coach Dan Perritano was inducted into the Penn State Behrend Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 3. Behrend’s third Athletics Day of Giving ended on Oct. 9. The 943 donors raised $155,785.   

Presentations at Council of Fellows meetings vary, but this meeting focused on an economic overview of the Erie region presented by Kenneth Louie, director of the Economic Research Institute of Erie (ERIE).

ERIE was established in 1982 and is the go-to source for all things economic in the Erie area, according to Louie. The current Erie economy is relatively stable. However, growth is slower than both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the nation. Luckily, ERIE does not see an indication of an economic downturn on the horizon.

One economic concern is the role of manufacturing in Erie’s economy. In 2001, manufacturing was at its most profitable, worth approximately $2.8 billion. However, in 2024, manufacturing dropped from first to the third most profitable sector, falling behind finance, insurance, real estate, and rental/leasing (FIRE) and educational services, healthcare, and social assistance (ESHCS) at an estimated $1.8 billion.

On a more positive note, unemployment is at a near-record low. The United States unemployment rate was at 4.2% in Sept. 2026, while Erie unemployment was at an incredible 3.8% as of Aug. 2026.

Louie highlighted the challenge of inflation. The United States average nominal weekly wage has grown 122% since 2001. Adjusted for inflation, it shows just an increase of 19%. In Erie, however, the average nominal weekly wage has only grown by 91%. Adjusted for inflation shows a meager 3% increase since 2001. Although it is always better to increase rather than stagnate or decrease, the statistics highlight how the Erie area is falling behind the state and nation.

Following the economic report, Ms. Britt Daehnke, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, spoke briefly on council engagement by encouraging members to attend the Faculty Showcase on Oct. 21.