NETWORK, ENGAGE, EVOLVE

BY CHELSEA LOCASCIO

WHAT WOULD YOU DO if you couldn’t pull up the internet on your phone whenever you wanted? Most take technology at their fingertips for granted, but there are people in Rutherford County without internet, access to a computer, or an understanding of programs like Excel.

These are just a few of the reasons why the Murfreesboro Technology Council was formed by Jon Hoscheit, Mary Mayfield, Chad Mullis and Matthew Haese in 2018. As one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, Murfreesboro’s education, infrastructure and economic development has been lagging behind other cities, according to Hoscheit, chief technical officer of Data Suites and the council’s chairman.

MTC saw a growing gap and decided to take action to bridge it, says Mayfield, owner and marketing manager of Market Connect and a founding board member of the council.

“There’s lots of good resources and people out there and nobody knows each other exists. So, it’s like we act on a lot of cases as the liaison or the facilitator,” she said.

The council is working with local government officials to spread awareness of and excitement for the technology resources and partners in the community, according to Hoscheit.

They’re also facilitating a mentorship program between students and industry professionals. Helping students understand what’s possible with their degree right here in Rutherford County is essential to its economic development, according to the council.

One of the largest universities in the state, Middle Tennessee State University, is at our doorstep, but it had been churning out students who were unable to capitalize on the technology job market within the county, Hoscheit said.

Byron Glenn, a software developer and a board member who found out about MTC while he was running for county commissioner, spoke on the campaign trail about the importance of investing in technology. He felt similarly to Hoscheit, saying that the students haven’t been encouraged to stay in the county once they graduate, which is only further hurting the local economy.

“We need to make a bigger investment in tech and actually make Rutherford County a tech hub,” said Glenn, currently a student at Nashville Software School. “They go to MTSU, [then] where do they go? They leave Rutherford County. So what also leaves Rutherford County? The money, the talent, the resources.”

These students want to know that, if they go the tech route, they have a future here, Glenn said.

The council prioritized further integrating technology into college students’ curriculum as well as showing them firsthand what opportunities await them in the real world.

“We started touring different technology companies in the area from students’ perspectives, so they can see what would happen when they got their degree,” Hoscheit said. “We found that in a lot of cases, teacher retention of these students was a lot higher because they could actually see what they would be doing once they were done with their degree. A picture speaks a thousand words—we were trying to be that for the community.”

They aren’t only working with college students. MTC is assisting in technology education of students in K through 12 as well as continuing education for adults looking to learn a new program or switch careers.

Helping small businesses learn about cybersecurity and resources that can help their business is part of the ever-important education piece of the MTC’s mission, as well, Mayfield said.

Facilitating business development and growth is just as important as education, according to the council.

A major piece of that puzzle is missing: strong reliable internet access countywide. MTC has connected one of its biggest sponsors, United Communications, with the local government to tackle this issue. United received a grant to devise and execute a plan to ensure anyone in the county can equally contribute to the global workforce, says Hoscheit.

He and Mayfield mentioned a few ways this helps build the economy: More people in Rutherford can work from home, keeping down spending on lunches, for example, and more businesses will move to those rural areas.

“There’s still a lot of room in this county for bigger, better things to come,” Mayfield said.

MTC is working on increasing access to computers, as well. Hoscheit said they recycle still-usable computers from healthcare companies and donate them to schools and charities. They donated about 200 computers in the county so far and helped support up to 900 kids in a school in Haiti.

Despite the name, the council isn’t just for people who work in tech, Mayfield points out.

“It’s really for everybody even if you don’t work in technology,” she said. “Maybe you just like technology, and we all will use it every single day. So, it’s really just about being a community of people here in Murfreesboro that have the same goals.”

There are a few ways to get involved in the Murfreesboro Technology Council. You can currently become a member for free, attend their monthly networking activities, and participate in their larger quarterly events focusing on tech education, strategies or certifications, according to Hoscheit.

MTC is holding such an event in collaboration with Women in Technology of Tennessee on March 28 at the Fountains of Gateway that is aimed at women of all ages who want to learn about some of the state’s female technology leaders. To register, visit murfreesborotechnology.com/ events. For more information on MTC, to RSVP for an event or provide a donation, visit murfreesborotechnology.com or email info@murfreesborotechnology.com.