The Warm Springs Initiative aims to create a combined physical and vocational rehabilitation center for wounded veterans and civilians on the site of the “Little White House” used by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The initiative is a partnership between the Georgia Warrior Alliance, the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute, Callaway Gardens, and several institutions of higher education, as well as some major corporations. The rehabilitation side aims to become a national facility for treatment of, and recovery from, serious neurological disorders. The vocational aspects will complement this recovery by offering practical instruction and work activities in a variety of fields including construction, landscaping, farming, and information technology. Another avenue for veterans to return to work is through an entrepreneurship program, supporting the incubation of veteran owned businesses. As the vocational side matures and expands into newareas, the campuses will grow to form a one shop stop, constituting one of the nation's first care-to-work programs. The campuses will be within driving distance of the Atlanta metro area and Warm Springs in particular is also conveniently located near Macon, Columbus, and Fort Benning. The centrality of this location allows it to service the needs for all 3 cities (where the majority of Georgia’s 75,000 homeless live), while also using military transportation to conveniently bring patients from all over the country. Funding will come from a variety of sources, including in-kind contributions from partner organizations, as well as cash donations from individual philanthropists. Finally, the project will leverage a four to one match from the Federal government for vocational programs for persons with disabilities.

1. source: Kåre Thor Olsen at Wikimedia
Warm Springs
Rehabilitation
Initiative
By: Christopher Esposo, Michael Cassady,
Valeriu Tocitu, Casey Aultman, Edward Coyle,
and Brian Coffey
For inquiries please contact Chris Esposo (cesposo3@gatech.edu) or Michael Cassady
(mtc26@cornell.edu)

2. Table of Contents
Authors.......................................................................................................................................................... 1
Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... 3
Industry Analysis ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Product/Technology...................................................................................................................................... 8
Market Research and Analysis .................................................................................................................... 11
Locational and Facilities Advantages .......................................................................................................... 14
Management and Partners ......................................................................................................................... 16
Sustainability and Impact: Impact on the Community and the Environment ........................................... 18
Critical Risks and Assumptions.................................................................................................................... 21
Extensions ................................................................................................................................................... 24
Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................. 29
Authors
We would like to give special thanks to a team of Georgia Tech and Cornell students who
served as consultants on writing this plan as well as preparing for and presenting the
presentation at the national summit.
Senior Analysts
The Senior analyst team headed up the writing of the plan, scoping out the strategy and
details of each section, as well as providing oversight and assistance for all staff.
Christopher Esposo is a graduate student at Georgia Tech in Economics and
Mathematics. He will complete his degree in the spring. He has an extensive background in
economics, mathematics, business, and policy from his educational experiences. He has also
taken on several leadership roles in the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network, a student run
public policy think-tank endowed by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Foundation.
He held a full time, client-facing, consulting position for the Global Development Group,
at the Coca Cola Company (TCCC) during the summer, and was offered an extension for a part-
time fall position as an analyst/project manager. In this position he dealt with many timely
business issues, including SOX compliance updates.
Michael Cassady is studying economics and computer science at Cornell University. He
has worked extensively with software design in numerous coursework and intern projects. He
also maintains a working knowledge of current industry technologies and understandings.
Valeriu Tocitu, or Val, is an aerospace and robotics engineer. Val has worked with
Christopher previously in the MIT Climate challenge project and has an active interest in
applications of technology to social problems. Val, who has worked for NASA Ames Research
Center and Johnson Space Center, has extensive experience with difficult technical concepts in
1

3. engineering, having won a “Best Engineer” award for his innovative approach lunar regolith
heat flow analysis
The senior team has worked before on other projects. The earliest collaboration was in
the Georgia Tech Ideas To Serve (I2S) competition. The competition seeks very early stage ideas
seeking market-based solutions to societal, community, or environmental problems. The
Roosevelt Institute liked the idea, and published an article in the policy journal “10 Ideas for
Energy and the Environment”.
They also successfully collaborated together to author the Inaugural Public Policy Case
Competition at Georgia Tech in August of 2011. The competition was supported by the College
of Public Policy at Georgia Tech as well as the Roosevelt Campus Network. Envisaged as an
annual event, it addresses policy relevant to a timely issue confronting the state of Georgia. In
preparing the research for the post-Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program fate of Ft.
McPherson, the team analyzed case studies of both successful and unsuccessful previous BRAC
closings.
Chris and Valeriu submitted a proposal in 2010 to the MIT Sloan School Climate Colab
Competition, which addresses the nature and extent of climate change as well as policies to
mitigate it. The proposal won honorable mention accolades from the judges. Michael and Chris
entered the same contest in 2011 and submitted a proposal and dynamic system model which
addresses the nature and extent of climate change as well as mitigation policies. The model
piqued the interest of researchers who are working with them to refine and submit the model
for use by the public on their website
Analysts
The senior analyst team was aided by the efforts of subordinate analysts who helped
research background facts as well as write and revise portions of the plan.
Brian Coffey is an undergraduate at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the
International Affairs program. Brian has traveled to five different countries in Latin America on
various study and research abroad trips. He spent a semester as an intern for the Georgia
House Majority Caucus, before being promoted to the position of Aide to the Majority Whip,
which he currently holds. He is finishing his degree and pursuing separate concentrations in
public policy and economics in his third year at Tech.
Casey Aultman is a third year undergraduate at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She
is studying International Affairs and Spanish and works for the university in the office of
Institute Special Events and Protocol. She spent last summer abroad in South America taking
classes, doing research, and traveling. Currently she is an intern at the Georgia General
Assembly in the State Senate, and will work for the Carter Center this coming summer. Casey’s
future plans include another semester spent researching abroad, getting her Master degree,
and working for either international government agencies or NGOs.
Edward Coyle is a third year undergraduate at Georgia Tech, double majoring in Applied
Physics and Public Policy. He is Research and Projects Director for the newly established
Georgia Tech Roosevelt Institute and participates in the Society of Physics Students and
Students Organizing for Sustainability at Georgia Tech. Upon graduation, he plans to either
pursue graduate school or join the Peace Corps.
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4. Executive Summary
The Warm Springs Initiative aims to create a combined physical and vocational
rehabilitation center for wounded veterans and civilians on the site of the “Little White House”
used by FDR. The initiative is a partnership between the Georgia Warrior Alliance, the
Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute, Callaway Gardens, and several institutions of higher
education, as well as some major corporations. The rehabilitation side aims to become a
national facility for treatment of, and recovery from, serious neurological disorders. The
vocational aspects will complement this recovery by offering practical instruction and work
activities in a variety of fields including construction, landscaping, farming, and information
technology. Another avenue for veterans to return to work is through an entrepreneurship
program, supporting the incubation of veteran owned businesses. As the vocational side
matures and expands into new areas, the campuses will grow to form a one shop stop,
constituting one of the nation's first care-to-work programs.
The campuses will be within driving distance of the Atlanta metro area and Warm
Springs in particular is also conveniently located near Macon, Columbus, and Fort Benning. The
centrality of this location allows it to service the needs for all 3 cities (where the majority of
Georgia’s 75,000 homeless live), while also using military transportation to conveniently bring
patients from all over the country.
Funding will come from a variety of sources, including in-kind contributions from
partner organizations, as well as cash donations from individual philanthropists. Finally, the
project will leverage a four to one match from the Federal government for vocational programs
for persons with disabilities.
Industry Analysis
PEST ANALYSIS
The PEST Analysis provides an overview of the political, economic, social and
technological forces shaping the vocational rehabilitation industry. These forces are general
enough to affect all firms in the industry.
Political
The two main government agencies that focus on veteran health, rehabilitation, and
vocational programs are the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) 1 and the Veterans Benefits
administration (VBA) 2, both of which operate under the Department of Veterans Affairs. One
of the primary political pressures confronting these agencies is the increasing demand from civil
society, and some parts of the judiciary, to more quickly determine a veteran's need for care,
and the existence of disabilities. In particular, the recent ruling by the ninth circuit court of
appeals demonstrates that slow delivery of care is not only potentially dangerous for veterans,
but also violates their rights 3.
Yet another force impacting the VA is the recent high profile public push for austerity,
which while not yet decreasing the VA budget, will certainly help contain its growth in the years
to come; and this at a time when the end of the two previous wars is resulting in an influx of
returning veterans through 2013, with an anticipated steep drop off soon after that.
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5. Economic
Though there are certainly significant challenges facing the VA because of this influx of
returning vets, they are one of the few departments to see an increase in the Presidential
FY2013 Budget 4. The 2012 base line has experienced a 30% increase since FY 2009 4. For 2013,
the VA anticipates a budget of $140.3 billion 4, more than a 6% increase from the previous year
5
. Specifically, the VHA will receive $56.58 billion in total funding ($52.706 billion in direct
appropriations, an increase of over $2.3 billion or 4.1%) 5.
With so many returning veterans and a labor market just beginning to see a turnaround,
veteran unemployment rates remain elevated, though with modest improvements. The
unemployment rate for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan is 9.1%, following a 6% year to year
drop during 2011. The unemployment rate for young vets (18-24) is very elevated at
approximately 33% 6. Among the unique challenges facing veterans is the fact that many of
them enlisted immediately following high school, and therefore have neither a college
education, nor private sector work experience. Further aggravating the situation for veterans
with disabilities is that many employers don’t want to deal with the potential physical or mental
health problems stemming from the deployments.
Increased funding for vocational programs specifically targets these and other concerns,
with the goal of creating more attractive hires out of veterans. Vocational rehabilitation funding
under the VBA increased $148 million to $1.591 billion from $1.443 billion in FY2012 7.
Meanwhile, according to the non-profit Manufacturing Institute, 80% of domestic
manufacturers who participated in a survey last year reported that they were experiencing a
moderate to serious skilled labor shortage 6. This problem, along with veteran unemployment,
could be remedied through a variety of programs that derive vocational program curricula from
manufacturers’ needs.
One such program is the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency program operated out of
the Social Security Administration.8 The program is a result of the Ticket to Work and Work
Incentives Act of 1999 and is designed to help disabled Social Security beneficiaries attain
gainful employment. Participants are assigned to a local Employment Network (EN), an
organization which has entered into an agreement with the SSA to provide career counseling,
job placement services, and continuing support services.8 Oftentimes, transportation and
other workplace accommodation are also available, depending on the local EN. Veterans must
be between the ages of 18 and 64 with a rating of 60% or higher to qualify.9 As of March 1,
2012, 13.2 million SSA beneficiaries were eligible to participate in the Ticket program and
295,712 beneficiaries were actively engaged with the program at 842 ENs nationwide. 10
Social
The return of a new generation of warriors from over a decade of conflicts is shifting
both the generational makeup of veterans under VA care, as well as the kinds of care they
receive. Of the 6.33 million veterans expected to use VA medical care this year, some 610,000
are estimated to be veterans returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The
Presidential budget also acknowledges the growing need for mental healthcare to address the
impending unemployment crisis of these returning veterans. In particular, $6.2 billion has been
allocated solely to mental healthcare, a 5.3% increase of $312 million over the prior year.
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6. Along with continued funding of the post-9/11 GI Bill, the FY2013 budget provides
$233 million for vocational training and reentry programs for up to 130,000 veterans who have
disabilities or are wounded or ill veterans with disabilities. Additionally, $1 billion over the next
five years has been allocated to transitioning Veterans' skills into public-sector jobs protecting
and improving America’s lands and resources 7. The specific job categories in this program have
not been released, but the federal agencies that will participate in training and hiring veterans
are the Agriculture, Interior, and Commerce Departments, as well as the Army Corps of
Engineers 7. The VBA also administers the VetSuccess program with the goal of training
veterans and matching them to various jobs across the country 11.
Technology
Technological changes are also continuing to shape the management of cases and the
delivery of care. The technology budget takes up 2.4% of the $140 billion VA budget; of that,
80% goes directly to expediting the medical treatment of veterans 7. This helps to provide
medical care to veterans in remote locations, as well as create a paperless claims process and
relationship between the VA’s 300,000 employees and close to 10 million beneficiaries 7. This is
not only environmentally aware but will also dramatically increase the speed with which
medical care is delivered. Microsoft has started an initiative called Elevate America Veterans 12.
It is part of their Elevate America program that aims to provide free and low cost technology
training to people searching for employment. Since 2009, over 900,000 vouchers have been
given by Microsoft to participate in this program. In total, Microsoft has invested over $12
million into this program. The Wounded Warrior project is one of their partners.
KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
A successful vocational education program is one in which participants both achieve
certain goals and reap substantive benefits. First, the trainees should complete the program at
high rates. Second, participants should see their annual salaries increase. Third, they should
achieve personally defined goals outside of obtaining a job, such as increasing ones social skills
or ability to live independently 13, as these will greatly impact their quality of life and
employability. Finally, participants should be made aware of any additional services that may
aid them in their retraining. The 2011 VA study of the Vocational Rehabilitation and
Employment Program (VR&E) found that 74% of participants obtained and maintained
employment, and 26% completed the goal of increasing independence in daily life. It also
showed that approximately 8.57% of veterans actively involved in any stage of training had
completed the program as of that year 13. This completion rate of 8.57% serves as a starting
point for the Warm Springs program.
Given this relatively low rate of completion, the VA strategic plan targets a 5% increase
by 2014 in the number of veterans completing VR&E services, and obtaining employment 16. In
the 2010 study, of the participants who were categorized as “success” cases, 73% earned at
least $24,000 per year and over 55% earned at least $30,000 per year 13. Overall, the program
saw a 600% increase from starting to ending salaries in participants. The average wage of the
vet with a disability entering the program in 2010 was 33% below the national poverty line 13.
The Career, Technical and Agriculture Education (CTAE) Division of the Georgia
department of Education sets some guideposts for success in civilian vocational programs,
5

7. including expanded use of technology in career and technical education, professional
development programs, support for the integration of academics with career and technical
education, and preparation for non-traditional fields of employment 17. Currently, the Georgia
Department of Labor’s High School/High Tech initiative provides students with disabilities
access to academic/career opportunities. Their Five Guideposts for Success include school
preparation, development and leadership, work-based learning, connecting activities, and
family involvement 18.
While these factors help to make a school attractive to potential students, increases in
potential earnings remain the foremost measure of success. These increases in earnings remain
robust across age groups and socio-economic status. According to the most recent National
Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE) “vocational education has important short- and
medium-run earning benefits for most students at both the secondary and postsecondary
levels, and these benefits extend to those who are economically disadvantaged”19 . A major
factor of success for the Warm Springs vocational education program will continue to be the
eventual earnings of its participants.
The industry has grown as the average veteran disability rating rose 11% from 1995 to
20
2009 . Moreover, the two highest disability categories, PTSD and diabetes, are growing
fastest, indicating a large increase in numbers amongst vets with the most profound disabilities.
However, many veterans continue to not take advantage of the services available through
VR&E, prompting the VA to aim at modernizing the program by 2014 13. This challenge facing
veteran’s vocational programs means that for Warm Springs to prosper it must work hard at
and be successful in promoting its services to potential participants.
Design and Development Plans
This section will briefly outline some of the programs planned as well as the necessary
steps still needed to implement them along with estimates of their cost. More detailed
information about the programs can be found in the product section below.
The golf course renovation project will expand and modernize the original 9 hole golf
course designed by famous course designer David Ross for President Roosevelt. The project
will integrate the best of modern techniques such as irrigation and sprinkler design, agronomics
and the latest accommodations for persons with disabilities while retaining the visionary design
of the original. The renovation is expected to launch in the fall and will be headed by a
professional golf course designer, Troy Vincent. He is currently working on a proposal that will
outline the vision for the course, as well as the staff needed. The contractors will work closely
with the wounded warriors, and other persons with disabilities to build their skill sets during
the renovation.
The cost of the design specification and bidding services is expected to amount to
$300,000. The cost of construction for the finished design is anticipated to come to $5,000,000.
Of this, $250,000 has already been secured as a private donation. Another $250,000 will be
gifted by another private donor known to the management team. $500,000 will be matched by
donations from either the Home Depot Foundation or one of three other potential donors.
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8. With this $1 million in hand, the project will apply for section 101 four-to-one matching funds
as a vocational program for persons with disabilities.
Institutional partners plan to lend their expertise as needed to the renovations.
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will be partnering to provide education on turf and golf
courses. In addition, the University of Georgia's turf development division is also joining the
project.
After completion, the golf course is expected to become a self sustaining vocational
program, providing landscape maintenance jobs and training to persons with disabilities. The
course will be promoted as a national historic destination for tourists.
If international experience is any guide, the typical golf tourist is more affluent than a
normal tourist, bringing with him the funds to purchase ancillary services and products 22. This
stream of potential revenue could provide a variety of jobs, including grounds maintenance as
well as retail jobs in a gift shop. Grounds maintenance workers in particular are projected to
grow in demand by 20% over the decade, well above the average for all jobs 23.
The project also plans to use local homeless labor to renovate the historic cottages once
owned and used by FDR which are contained in the Warm Springs campus. Intensive
interviewing by a local law firm will ensure that those selected as participants will be suitable
for the job.
The condition of some 31 potential structures on the site varies. A preliminary
assessment by a local architecture firm found that all the cottages with historical value are
restorable. The worst of them has several breaches in the exterior walls as well as unsanitary
conditions due to wildlife roaming the premises. To help with renovations, the project expects
to secure the support of the Home Depot both for monetary donations and materials. The
scope of this commitment will be further fleshed out in meetings. Georgia Tech also plans to
partner and provide support on the design, architectural and engineering aspects of the
project.
The program does not yet have an expected date to launch. An expert overseer will be
secured. The project is anticipated to cost $5 million, of which $500,000 has been secured
already. A fundraising campaign under the guidance of HINRI will double that amount to $1
million and then a section 101 proposal will be submitted to secure matching funds.
After completion, the cottages are expected to be efficient and have a low cost of
maintenance. In addition, they will provide rental space for future vocational programs located
at Warm Springs. The rent is expected to cover any costs of maintenance associated with them,
making them self sufficient.
Additional programs are anticipated in the long term. The guiding principle is that they
should become self sustaining after initial startup costs. One such possibility is an organic
farming program. The produce will be marketed both locally as well as sold regionally and
nationally via an internet business. One of the first clients for the farming program would be
the cafeteria at Warm Springs, providing nutritious food for the rehabilitation patients, the
vocational trainees and any tourists who visit the area.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, small scale farming, and in particular organic
farming, offers one of the best opportunities for new workers to enter the field 24. As such an
organic farming program is an opportune choice for clients with disabilities interested in
entering the agricultural workforce.
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9. The project will partner with an organization like Georgia Organics, a non-profit focused
on promoting sustainable foods and local farming. They offer introductory courses on organic
farming and gardening 25. The possibility of partnering with them to use Warm Springs as
another possible location for the course will be explored. This partnership would combine their
expertise in organic farming with our network of veterans and homeless clients.
For the online component, a partnership with an online organization like Local Harvest is
anticipated 26. They offer the software and hosting for local farmers to connect with potential
consumers online. In particular, a farm can set up a store on their online site and market and
sell their produce through this portal. This provides a low cost entry point and demands
minimal technical expertise to get started exploring the online markets. In addition, trainees
can take on the role of helping to run and manage the computer and online marketing aspects
of the store, providing a diversity of potential training.
Product/Technology
The vocational program consists of three different components: a job posting site,
online education, and hands on training. Several job boards for veterans already exist. We will
partner with such boards to leverage this existing infrastructure. A site like HireVeterans.com,
for instance, combines a reasonable entry price with high visibility.
The training itself will initially focus on two broad tracks with threads potentially added
as the program matures. To accommodate the diversity of skill sets and experiences, these
tracks will provide veterans the necessary training and skills to prepare them to enter either the
white collar, or the blue collar workforce. For veterans with physical disabilities, the institute
plans to team up with local colleges and universities to give them basic training such as a brief
introduction to computer languages. Several courses will teach how to use Excel, Word, and
PowerPoint, as well as how to write a resume. Although these skills will be taught, they are not
enough to operate in the modern workplace. Further, most veterans have demonstrated
through their time in the service an ability to quickly acquire knowledge and to use it creatively.
This strength will be leveraged in further designing curricula suitable for these programs.
Cottage Program
The 27 historical Roosevelt cottages will be rehabilitated. Originally built during the
1920’s and 1930’s, these cottages played a role in the FDR administration as he ran the country
from the “Little White House”. Unfortunately, they have fallen into disrepair over these past
few decades and need to be rehabilitated.
The Warm Springs Institute aims to renovate the cottages using currently homeless
veteran trainees from the existing homeless population of the Columbus area. A hundred
homeless from the Cunningham Center in Columbus, GA will be interviewed for these positions,
from which 25 would be selected. The team has already secured $0.5 million from the state of
Georgia for this program, and is expected to raise $5 million. Since 40% of all homeless men
nationally are veterans27, the center should provide a large pool of candidates to work from. A
work cycle for this program is expected to last about 90 days, the amount of time it takes to
restore three cottages. Thus, the program will use 100 homeless veterans for its duration.
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10. Although the construction industry is currently experiencing a downturn, this program
will still help veterans find gainful employment or positions in more specialized schools. Not
only can the ability to work on these buildings shows potential employers the candidate’s
trainability and willingness to learn, but the veterans can parlay skills learned such as carpentry,
plumbing, and painting into placements in more specialized vocational schools, making it more
likely that the candidate would avoid slipping back into homelessness. Industries currently
targeted include plumbers and electricians.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment for plumbers, pipefitters,
and steamfitters is expected to increase by 26% in the 2010-2020 timeframe28. They have a
median salary of $22.43 per hour29. That salary varies on how far along the plumber is in his or
her development. After a 4-5 year apprenticeship program and 4-5 years as a journeyman
plumber, master plumbers start with an annual salary of $37,506-$49,92028,29.
Electricians have a median salary of $22.43 and are expected to have an increase of
employment of 23% over the same time period30. Electricians are expected to complete a 4-
year apprenticeship program before becoming journeyman electrician30. Afterwards, they later
advance into the positions of foremen and general foremen31. As with plumbers, time spent in
trade school can be credited towards the apprenticeship program29.
The role of the vocational rehabilitation program at Warm Springs is not necessarily to
provide the full vocational training for these industries. Rather, the institute aims to give the
trainees exposure to these fields under the supervision of certified supervisors. Further, the
team plans for the supervisors to help refer promising candidates towards appropriate
vocational schools, and to act as references on applications for admissions into these programs.
In addition to helping the clients, such a program would help the Institute as a whole.
The monetary and touristic value of the cottages increases as the structure is rehabilitated.
Second, the cottages can be used as dormitories, offices, classrooms, and for other needs the
institute has. Beyond these reasons, these cottages represent a monument and a link to two of
the most challenging decades in American history, where the nation experienced the double
punch of one of the largest depressions in history immediately followed by the bloodiest war
mankind has fought to date. We as a nation can’t afford not to rehabilitate and preserve them
for posterity as one of the great American monuments.
Golf Course
The second “blue collar” vocational program involves expanding and completing the golf
course originally designed by David Ross (the founder of modern golf course design) for guests
such as FDR. The original construction only included 9 of the 18 anticipated holes. The
completed course will also be the first of its kind designed and constructed by people with
disabilities for people with disabilities. The program will use 10-20 trainees on a multi-month
training cycle which should result in the new golf course being completed in approximately 12
months. Through this program, trainees will learn skills in golf course design and
architecture/engineering of golf courses, Golf Course Construction Techniques such as:
* Surveying
* excavation work / earthmoving
* irrigation installation / pump construction and connection
* storm drainage work/ pipe installation
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11. * cart path development & installation
* grading work / rough shaping
* landscape schematic design, installation, management and maintenance.
* grassing: seed/sprigs/sod, seedbed preparation
* soil & vegetation study / designing a preliminary plant palette based on landscape theme and
climate zone / native plant materials
* turf maintenance planning / understanding recommendations on fertilizers, herbicides, etc.
* Daily operational procedures required for golf course maintenance
* Construction of features such as bunkers, greens, tees
This program shall prepare trainees for a multitude of careers within the golf course
industry. Landscape architect is an example of one such career. According to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics (BLS), 21,600 people were employed in this industry in 2010 with a median
wage of $29.85 per hour. This is a growing field with employment projected to grow to 25,100
by 202032. Further, the growth will come from people with an existing internship and skills such
as Computer Aided Design (CAD) 32. Finishing this golf course could be considered part of the
internship, and our program will emphasize knowledge of CAD software (the particular
software has yet to be chosen).
For the institution, the completed golf course provides benefits outside training
candidates. The Georgia Warrior Alliance currently uses Warm Springs as a retreat for veterans
and their families. The experience would be strengthened with a fully functioning golf course.
Plus, it might help promote golf among demographics that would otherwise have not
experienced it, including people with disabilities. Second, the golf course can also be used as a
revenue generator from not only tourists visiting the historical site, but also from campers and
hikers who wish to broaden the range of activities available at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt
State Park.
The golf course construction will be overseen by Troy Vincent of the David Ross Society.
For this project, the institute will be partnering with the new Bachelor of Applied Science
degree in Turf grass and Golf Course Management at Abraham Baldwin Architectural College
(ABAC), the Turf Team at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences, and Auburn University’s Assistive Technologies Design Studio. The plan is to apply for
Section 110 funding and begin construction in the fall.
The golf course itself should help with increasing tourist traffic to Warm Springs. First, it
is a historic landmark as much as the cottages are. FDR originally had it built for himself, the
patients there, and any white house visitors who wanted to relax. Playing on “FDR’s golf
course” might help to attract golf aficionados. As mentioned previously, the golf course was
designed by David Ross, a famous name among professional golf course designers and players.
This should also attract players who wish to do the “David Ross” circuit by playing all golf
courses designed by him.
This golf course will be the nation's first completed by people with disabilities for people
with disabilities. That would be a selling point for not only the Warm Springs historic center, but
for the FDR state park in general. The golf course is already used by park campers who want to
play golf. The existence of the golf course should attract more disabled people to the state park
as it demonstrates the park has the will and the facilities to accommodate their needs.
10

12. Finally, the golf course could be used by veterans and family members visiting the area.
As mentioned previously, the GWA already uses the center as a retreat for wounded veterans
and their families. However, the center expects to receive veterans and family members visiting
to see patients either in the physical or vocational rehabilitation program. This golf course
would be an incentive for them to stay a little longer and maybe play a game.
Training Program and Amendia
Amendia has offered to spin off a company led and owned by wounded veterans.
Further, it would train 500 veterans to help roll out its products throughout the US. This
entrepreneurship program aims to foster the needed skills, experience and networks among
veterans to start their own businesses. The details on this are being presented by another
student led group at the national summit for GWA.
Market Research and Analysis
This section will explore and analyze the market for vocational rehabilitation, breaking
down its potential market segments and their relative sizes to show how the program might
capture and defend market share.
Customers
The are two initial customer groups for the Warm Springs Initiative: veterans with
disabilities and the regional homeless population. The vets will be enrolled in vocational
schooling programs through our partners or placed into specific training opportunities such as
the golf course renovation or maintenance. The homeless, including homeless veterans, will
initially be offered training and placement through the cottage restoration program.
According to the most recent Point-in-Time Studies, over 75,000 individuals experience
homelessness in Georgia 33. The majority of them are within the tri city area of Macon,
Columbus and Atlanta that Warm Springs will serve. According to the Social Security
Administration’s Bulletin, as of 2010 the total number of Veterans receiving Social Security
benefits approached 9.3 million 34. The total recipients of the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability
Insurance (OASDI) program and Supplemental Security Income in Georgia are 228,510. In the
Columbus/Warm Springs region of surrounding counties Muscogee, Chattahoochee, Talbot,
Marion, and Harris counties there is a total of 7,865 recipients 35.
Beyond these social security benefits, military veterans with service-related disabilities
may qualify for additional monthly benefit payments that range from $115 to $2,471 per month
determined by disability severity 36. Furthermore, veterans claiming disabilities are eligible for
an expedited processing of these claims from Social Security through the VA’s Social Security
Administration Benefits for Wounded Warriors. In comparing to other beneficiaries, the SSA
characterizes veteran beneficiaries as being older men who are married and better educated.
A full 88.3 percent of veteran beneficiaries have a high school diploma and 27.6 percent have a
bachelor’s degree 36. Both of these percents are higher than all adult beneficiary totals.
Apart from disability benefits, there are grants available for veterans with disability both
in the state and across the nation. Eligible veterans may receive Veteran Grants for Disabled in
Georgia. For children of veterans who are eligible for financial assistance, the American Legion
offers a Temporary Financial Assistance (TFA) program providing funding to keep children under
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13. their families’ care and out of institutions (assistance does not require Legion membership) 37.
The Veterans Benefits division of Georgia’s Department of Veterans Service has seen funding
cuts on the state level in the newest amended budget but federal government funding has
remained the same 38.
The Disabled American Veterans organization has a charitable service trust in which it
grants funding to programs providing service to veterans with disabilities and their dependents.
It has expended over $69 million since its first grant in 1988 and the trust is a continued grant
maker 40. Its focus is in supporting long-term physical and psychological rehabilitation projects
for the nation's veterans with profound disabilities. The DAV Charitable Service Trust awards its
grants through applications and the board of director’s funding decisions 39.
The Warm Springs staff can help secure the financial backing for the stable recovery of
its clients. In particular, case managers can advise clients on what resources may be available
to them as well as aid them in applying for it. Judging by the relatively low income levels of the
typical veteran vocational rehabilitation participant, many of them may not be availing
themselves of most of these benefits. While this may partly be due to a refusal to receive such
charity, veterans should nonetheless be given the opportunity as it may greatly improve their
family's home life or even allow them to live on campus during recovery. Further, some of the
resources, such as the grants from the DAV, would help to secure the continued solvency of
Warm Springs.
When confronted with the decision of which vocational rehabilitation program to
choose, social service agencies advise their clients to search for key differences between
programs and to choose the success plan that best suits them and their personal needs.
Important differences include frequency of training and rehab, services offered, the setting of
these offerings, and the medical/training staff for a program. The National Rehabilitation
Hospital’s guidelines for people with disabilities stress examination of quality of services, which
includes an individualized evaluation of how well the services meet ones needs and the
accreditation status of the organization 40.
As Warm Springs grows and matures, it will continually aim to expand its training and
rehab facilities and the range of services, including their frequency and location on campus.
Moreover, it will seek to change its staff makeup as programs evolve and are either
discontinued or added, so that it can appeal to as many potential clients as possible.
Market Size
The market for trade and technical schools brought in $17 billion in revenues in 2011
and has been experiencing an annual growth of 4.8% from 2006 to 2011. There are 38,958
businesses employing 156,647 employees.41 it is expected to grow by 5.3% annually from 2011
to 2016.42 There haven't been many variations between urban and suburban vocational courses
offered at the secondary level of high schools. Rural schools are less likely to offer as many
courses and the courses offered are more likely to offer welding and agribusiness courses, while
less likely to offer courses in health related fields.43 The distribution of vocational classes taken
during high school is shown in Table 1 of the IES report on the high school class of 2005.44
While the general market for vocational programs has grown, the National Assessment
of Vocational Education investigated the effects of disability on the level of participation in
vocational programs. No distinction was made between physical and mental disabilities. Those
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14. with disabilities were found to concentrate more on vocational programs in high school, but the
percentage of participants with disabilities is the same as the general population for post-high
school vocational education.45 The study finds that the levels of participation of people with
disabilities in vocational education has remained constant.45
Ongoing Market Evaluation
All rehabilitation programs suffer from the need to constantly reinvent themselves for a
changing market. Our programs aim to offer training in niche markets that are expected to
remain stable, such as the restoration of the cottages programs. The Warm Springs team will
rely on the partner institutions who design and run the training and certification programs to
modify them for the market. For instance, Amendia knows best what startups it should
incubate, and it’s best for the team to stay out of their way. As for the core programs, the team
will constantly seek feedback from those employing our trainees to ascertain if the skills
learned are what the market needs, and will modify the program based on this feedback.
Competition
The vocational rehabilitation market is serviced by both public and private
organizations. The private sector of vocational rehabilitation is rather small, mainly limited to in
house rehabilitation services provided by insurance companies such as Crawford and Company,
or large companies like General Electric, seeking to control the costs of healthcare for their
employees.46 There are also some private practices and small businesses in the industry, too. 46
This is nothing compared to the government's role in vocational education. Every state has at
least one, if not more, agency focused on providing vocational rehabilitation to its citizens.
There are a total of 80 state agencies and many different federal programs, such as Veteran
Affairs program, that operate in this field.47 These programs have relatively large budgets.
Georgia's vocational program budget, for instance, had a total of $152,643,434 in funds
available for FY 2010.48
The overall success of these programs varies widely from state to state, as indicated by
their employment figures. The percentage of patients with job related income a year after
completing the vocational rehabilitation program ranged from 0% to 75% for different state
agencies between the 2001 and 2003.47 There were also large differences in the level of
income being earned a year after completion and also the percentage of drop outs, as
documented in a GAO analysis of Vocational Rehabilitation published in 2007. This analysis
accounted for these differences by examining the policies the agencies have in place. They
mainly found that the higher the level of integration and communication the agency has with
businesses and possible employers, the better the agency's performance will be.
There have also been a number of other studies done by the government and others to
examine what the most efficient method of vocational rehabilitation is. To help foster a
community of best practitioners, the Department of Education allows agencies to share their
successful practices on the RSA Emerging Practices website. This helps to spread and create
consensus for best practices as other agencies decide whether to adopt these policies as their
own. The Department of Education also has a page where it showcases Promising Practices.
Among these are continued check-ups on a patient after they have entered the work force and
a program called Supported Employment.
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15. Supported Employment has developed via multiple studies into what is effective in
rehabilitating people. As a method it includes an emphasis on competitive employment as the
primary goal, while follow-on support is maintained indefinitely as required and the supported
employment program is closely integrated with the mental health treatment program. 49 There
is also a summary of many different studies on the best practices in vocational education that
recommend many of the same services and methods as Supported Employment.50 Overall,
Warm Springs is in a good position to offer excellent vocational rehabilitation as it has already
had years of experience with people with profound disabilities and is able to combine mental
and physical health treatment with the vocational training in a way few other rehabilitation
services are.
Location and Facilities Advantages
Geographic Location
While the rural nature of the Warm Springs area may be a disadvantage in recruiting
staff, being centered between three major metropolitan areas will help to increase the number
of potential workers. In particular, Warm Springs is 1.5 hours from Macon and Metropolitan
Atlanta, and 1 hour from Columbus. This puts it in commuting range of all three cities,
increasing the likely pool of workers. It’s also not in any city’s traffic zone, meaning that some
people in the southern suburbs of Atlanta may have a shorter commute to Warm Springs than
to any jobs in the downtown core once rush-hour traffic is taken into account. This geographic
location should help with acquiring staff that will have to commute to the facility.
The campus' proximity to existing military installations will help bring in more clients
from one of the project's largest referral networks. Indeed, Warm Springs is located 1 hour
from Ft. Benning and 2 hours from Warner Robbins Air Force base. Fort Benning is one of the
largest military bases in the United States, with approximately 120,000 military service
members, families, and support personnel51. The installation is already a major transit point
between other bases further inland and the Middle East. This would allow Warm Springs to
connect into the existing transportation network, making it cheaper and more convenient for
the military to transport patients and trainees to the facility.
Although it is not in Atlanta, the center is close to the partner universities. It is
equidistant to Auburn University and Columbus. Likewise, its proximity to elite research
universities such as Georgia Tech and Emory allow for the potential to deploy their expertise
on a short term project basis without providing housing on campus
Warm Springs, the town, numbers only 478 people. Although this has its drawbacks, it
also offers potential benefits in terms of providing an idyllic and peaceful environment for
recovery. Not being in a metropolitan area, land prices are also lower and the surrounding area
experienced no violent crime at all in the 2000’s except in 200252.
There are several resources in the areas neighboring the campus. The institute sits on
the site of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt State Park, the largest of its kind in Georgia. At 9,049
acres, its immensity provides ample opportunity for development and integration into the
overall program. Both candidates and workers will be able to engage in activities such as hiking
and backpacking, fishing, canoeing/kayaking, picnicking, horseback riding, stargazing, and
birding53. Use of the park could function as a selling point for attracting qualified doctors,
therapists, and teachers, among others.
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16. Outside of the park, trainees can visit attractions such as the National Fish Hatchery and
Callaway Gardens. The National Fish Hatchery aims to restore freshwater fish and repair their
habitat in Georgia and the rest of the Southeast. From a longer term view, the hatchery might
become a partner. The team plans to house the families at Callaway Gardens, which are in close
enough distance that the trainees might see their family every day.
The RWSI itself is listed as a historic landmark and a tourist attraction, bringing in about
100,000 visitors per year. The visitor count is expected to increase as the center better
advertises itself as a short-trip destination to the surrounding metro areas. This should increase
the number of jobs at the center, allowing the institute to hire some of its own graduates. The
site is already being used by the Georgia Warrior Alliance to host retreats for soldiers and their
families. The rehabilitation center and vocational program should increase the popularity of
these retreats.
Facilities
The partnership between the vocational program and the physical rehabilitation
program will allow facilities to be shared (i.e., classrooms, centers, etc.), mitigating the risk that
there might be too many or two few trainees in the program. In addition, wounded veterans
will have simultaneous and seamless access to the training while undergoing rehabilitation.
This feature will reduce the time needed to recover and find employment. Further, veterans
and families could be “bussed in” for both, allowing the use of military transport to be more
efficient.
The Warm Springs Institute has previous experience with vocational training. It currently
hosts a program of 150-200 people in their late teens/early 20’s, which live in the newly
constructed 75,000 square foot dorms and take tailor-made online and physical classes. They
are currently supervised by 375 employees of the Georgia Department of Labor. This
infrastructure can’t be used by the students and the trainees concurrently for liability issues.
However, the basic setup of these courses could be recreated for the veterans by using some
cottages once they’ve been repaired. Another building will be used temporarily for this purpose
until then.
In further developing the program, a good deal of infrastructure investments will also
benefit the extended rehabilitation program. For example, organizations working on prosthetics
are going to require high-speed broadband internet far faster than most home networks.
Further, the vocational rehabilitation trainees can reside in the dorms to be built for the
physical rehabilitation patients. The families of all types of patients will be housed at Callaway
Gardens, which can also serve as temporary or overflow facilities should the interest and class
size expand faster than originally expected. As the vocational program expands, it will
requisition some of the completed cottages for new facilities such as classrooms and computer
labs. Initially, the program will have one computer lab composed of 20 computers (both PC and
Mac) which will come with preinstalled standard industry software.
The main recreational facilities are “the Ruzycki Center for Therapeutic Recreation,
Camp Dream, Roosevelt Memorial Golf Course and the Rotary International Tennis Center”. The
Ruzycki Center can function as a gym for a wide variety of tastes with activities such as “a 25-
Meter swimming pool, 440 Meter Track, aerobics, arts and crafts, NCAA Regulation Basketball
Court, bowling alley, ceramics, game room, indoor walking track, racquetball courts, and a
15

17. weight room.”54 The swimming pool is fed by the traditional springs believed in the 1920s to be
therapeutic and which are the reason the center was built in the first place 54. Finally, the center
itself hosts contests such as wheelchair competitions as it contains the US Wheelchair Hall of
Fame54. The center has plenty of open spaces and is located next to Lake Dream.
Being a small town, Warm Springs does not offer the variety of dining options found in a
large city. However, there exist many quaint “mom-and-pop” alternatives operated by local
proprietors 55. Further, the town features a classic downtown area where shoppers can peruse
local stores on foot. This may seem like a fringe benefit but it provides an authentic
environment not often seen outside of the old south.
Warm Springs is at the intersection of 3 different highways. The center is next to the
Roosevelt Highway (27A), with two other roads connecting it to the state park itself. The main
highway will be used by the military to transport veterans as well as any civilian commuters
that would need to travel there. The other two roads won’t be as highly used, perhaps allowing
the trainees and patients to use them to go to the state park or other activities close by.
Management and Partners
The Warm Springs initiative is a partnership of the Warm Springs institute, the Georgia
Warrior Alliance, HINRI, Callaway Gardens and the Scott Rigsby Foundation.
HINRI is a non-profit organization that aims to advance research, rehabilitation and
treatment for patients by improving collaboration amongst scientists, medical and business
professionals, philanthropists and public policy makers. One of their roles is to function as a
venture capital firm for non profits. In this role, HINRI provides time and expertise to scope out
projects and provide leads and networking for non profits aiming to be a national leader in
health care to open up shop, expand or otherwise launch new initiatives.
The founder and managing director is Ross Mason, a native Georgian with a number of
past and recent accomplishments. He brings with him a wealth of contacts from his time at
Phillips Academy Andover, the University of Pennsylvania and Morgan Stanley. He also has
many contacts with the public policy world from his time working for former Speaker Newt
Gingrich, former Senators Sam Nunn and Zell Miller, former Governor Sonny Perdue and
current Governor Nathan Deal, and Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, among
others. He was recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of Atlanta's rising business
stars in their 2008 40 under 40 award.
Beyond these networks, he has previously raised and deployed funds in his work for
private equity and venture firms TMP worldwide, Genesis Equity Partners and Asslan Asset
Management, as well as at a Volkswagen incubator where he assisted in investing $350 million
in 90 in-house startups. He also has further venture capital experience in raising some $100
million for 4 internet startups and another $20 million for another 5 startups. In addition, he
has had time on the other side of the table managing new firms as the founder and CEO of a
real estate development firm, the Madison Group, which he successfully sold in 2002 after
having generated up to 120% in annual compounded returns from 1993 onward. He also
cofounded and managed for three years a healthcare IT firm which assisted Blue Cross, Blue
shield of South Carolina in a pilot project.
Ross also has experience in the public sector as well as charities dedicated to advancing
the public health. He is the Chairman of the Georgia Department of Community Health Board
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18. which oversees an $ 11.2 billion annual budget and was the Chairman of the Georgia Free Clinic
Network, which provides free medical care to over 150,000 homeless, indigent, and uninsured
Georgians, and has saved the state more than $400 million. He also is chairman of the board
for Jacob's ladder, a non-profit aiming to change how society addresses autism, where he used
HINRI to help the organization gain contacts in Silicon Valley and raise over $1.5 million. More
recently, he has forged a partnership with Callaway Gardens to host a summit of military and
community leaders to collaborate and compare best practices to serve Georgia servicemen and
women.
Beyond this, his passion for health issues has only grown since his experience as a
volunteer in an aids hospital in Zambia and his own personal spinal cord injury which resulted in
his paralysis and his personal experience with the health care system. He aims to use HINRI to
transform the way that medicine is practiced and to brand Georgia as a national destination for
medical care and research.
HINRI also has the expertise of a five member advisory board to tap. This board includes
Ronald E. Bachman, CEO of a thought leadership firm, senior fellow at several Health Care
policy think tanks and former advisor to the Bush White House on healthcare reimbursement
guidelines. It also includes lawyer and businessman William Ide, former president of the
American Bar Association.
The Warm Springs Institute is located on the historic healing village of President
Roosevelt aimed at the treatment of Polio. The campus has since transitioned under the
Georgia Department of Labor's administration to treating an array of people with
developmental disabilities and features a long term acute care hospital on site and a new
dormitory. Outpatient services for those in wheelchairs or who have chronic conditions such as
diabetes and polio are also offered. The institute therefore has a long history of caring for the
rehabilitation of people with severe disabilities. The Warm Springs initiative aims to expand the
services offered on the campus to include veterans with disabilities while securing its future.
The Scott Rigsby Foundation encourages all people with disabilities to pursue an active
lifestyle. The Foundation's namesake was run over by tractor trail just a few months after
graduating from high school. The accident resulted in severe burns and the loss of both legs.
After over a decade of surgeries and treatment, Scott would make a life altering decision to
achieve more. He went on to complete 13 triathlons and 5 road races. He would also set
records for double below the amputees in several athletic events, ultimately becoming the first
amputee in the world to complete an Ironman Triathlon.
Scott travels the nation making media appearances and speaking to persons with
disabilities. His foundation began hosting family retreats for wounded warriors at the Warm
Springs Dream Camp. The participants have disabilities such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal
cord injuries, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, craniofacial reconstruction and sleep
disorders. The camps help them in the process of transitioning from rehabilitation to their new
lives.
Callaway Gardens is a man-made garden which was conceived and created by Cason J.
Callaway and his wife Virginia Hand Callaway. The gardens are a wholesome environment
where everyone may find beauty, relaxation, inspiration and a better understanding of the
world. Located on the Callaway campus are recreational facilities such as golfing and retail
shops. Lodging and a resort environment is also available. These facilities are operated by a
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19. business subsidiary and the proceeds are used to support the efforts of the parent foundation.
The site attracts approximately 750,000 visitors per year.
Callaway Gardens is hosting a national summit to launch the Georgia Warrior Alliance.
The families of vocational education participants and rehabilitation patients at Georgia Warm
Springs will also be housed in facilities at Callaway.
Sustainability and Impact: Impact on the Community and the
Environment
The HINRI plan for Roosevelt Warm Springs has the goal of not just revitalizing the
campus and its currently underutilized facilities, but also having a sustained positive social and
economic effect on the entire community. A project as large as the Warm Springs initiative will
add social and economic value to its community. It is very likely that a rural community like
Warm Springs will see greater benefits from this development given the scarcity of previous
investments in the area. Combined with its proximity to Atlanta metropolitan area, potential
outside investments could reshape the community into a leading destination for long term
medical care and cultural tourism.
The first wave of revitalization to impact the community would come from new
construction, renovation, retrofitting and general modernization of the facilities used as part of
the new program for rehabilitation, vocational training, and reentry programs for wounded
warriors. These renovations include adaptations to Blanchard Hall, the 32,000 square foot
facility that will become the centerpiece of the “Healing Village.” But it also includes the historic
renovations of the 1920s period cottages that have either been neglected or have simply not
received the kind of attention their great historic value should deserve. The final, and perhaps
most ambitious “construction” project would be the expansion of the current golf course into a
world-class facility. With a median per capita income of $14,872 (compared with $27,334 for
the nation and $37,655 for the Atlanta Metro area, to which Warm Springs belongs) 56, the
millions of dollars injected into the community simply for construction would have a dramatic,
if only temporary effect. This effect will reach many contractors and construction workers in
the area hired to complete the abovementioned construction and remodeling. According to the
May 2011 Bureau of Labor wage statistics, in the Columbus metropolitan and nonmetropolitan
area construction and extraction occupations earn an average annual wage of $30,640.
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations earn an average of $38,610. Immediately
after construction, building and grounds cleaning and maintenance employees will earn an
average of $21,630 annually.
In contrast to the construction’s temporary effect, the finished facilities will provide
lasting benefits for Warm Springs. Roosevelt Warm Springs will expand beyond servicing
civilians with limited mobility, young people with developmental or learning disabilities. It will
become a center that treats and rehabilitates returning war veterans, expanding its staff and
the scope of their new skills in the process. Specialists in manufacturing prosthetics and
treating PTSD are two examples of professionals that have not had a role at RWS before this
expansion. These professionals will likely relocate to the area and presumably bring whatever
families they have with them. These developments are also strides in creating a sustainable
network of long term care in the Atlanta-area. While healthcare practitioners and technical
occupations earn an annual average of $72,740 in the metropolitan Atlanta area, they are in
18

20. contrast earning $66,670 in the Columbus area. In the case of healthcare support occupations,
the Columbus annual wages are roughly $4,000 less than the Atlanta area wage.
Warm Springs will take a holistic approach to rehabilitation, which will include the
family. The spouses and children of soldiers in rehabilitation programs will be encouraged to
join and stay with them for the duration of their treatment. For some of these families, this
might not be a viable option for financial or other reasons. RWS will do everything it can to
incentivize families to join their loved ones at Warm Springs. The humanitarian and healing
effect of this will be better for soldiers and will contribute to a higher success rate. The
economic and social effect will be that more people are engaged with the Warm Springs-
Callaway community, bringing more business and increasing the footprint of the program.
Roosevelt Warm Springs already has four major attractions for it as a tourist destination.
These are: the golf course, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt state park, the historic value of the
Little White House and other cottages, and the Lake Dream complex. Just over an hour outside
of Atlanta, and with close proximity to Callaway Gardens, RWS should be a relatively major
tourist attraction. But it has failed to attract the amount and type of clientele that would have a
revitalizing effect on the community. With the new construction and rejuvenation of the entire
campus, this will be the ideal opportunity to start a major push for tourists to the area. A
rebranding of the area as an ideal destination for Golf Tourism will have a major effect on the
area, simply by the nature of the target clientele. The typical golf tourist is middle aged (40-55)
or retired (55+) 57. Over two-thirds of golf tourists in the United States have incomes above
$50,000 57, which is almost double the per capita income of the country. Over eighty percent of
golf tourists are male 2. The major reasons for the recent stagnation in golf memberships
across the country is the fact that golf takes an enormous amount of time and is not family
oriented; a typical round of golf lasts four hours 2. RWS can alleviate these concerns by
providing on site or local activities for wives and children, such as a day touring historic cottages
or Callaway Gardens while the father is on the golf course. Through word of mouth and a
modest PR campaign, the campus can become a major tourist destination for the metro Atlanta
market.
The final method for increasing the social and economic impact of RWS in the
community would be through the creation of strategic partnerships with various institutes
across Georgia. A strategic partnership with Fort Benning could allow service members
stationed there to engage in a relationship with rehabilitating soldiers. This partnership could
allow veterans and their families to have access to services and facilities at Fort Benning which
would help facilitate relationship building with current service members. Furthermore, Georgia
is home to one of only six senior military colleges in the nation. North Georgia College & State
University is home to 5,500 students 58. This would be an ideal institute to create some sort of
formal relationship in the form of medical training for students, relationship building between
veterans and students, and volunteer service for all NGC&S students.
Finally, Georgia has several top notch nursing schools. Students there could participate
in various seminars or even provide professional help towards the end of their studies. This
would be a beneficial relationship for all parties involved: students would gain valuable
experience, RWS would gain more professional help, and the recuperating soldiers would gain
the benefits of having more helping hands than just the full-time staff, as well as the attention
of young people. RWS could even investigate the possibility of having revolving groups of
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21. nurses or nursing students instead of hiring all full time staff. RWS could work to develop new
or existing programs in Georgia’s nursing schools to ensure they will send an agreed amount of
their nursing students to Warm Springs every year. This pledge would certainly cut down on
costs for RWS having helping hands assisting the full time staff. Additionally, this would expose
a greater amount of people and future nurses to the activities going on at this wonderful center
ultimately helping to recruit full time staff.
Bringing more people into contact with the campus would be beneficial in two major
ways. Firstly, it will likely create more full time employment here, which will raise the
population, the standard of living, and have the general effect of bolstering the local economy.
The second major effect comes from increasing the temporary visitors to RWS. Whether these
people come here for tourism, for a school program, or some type of internship, they will have
a positive effect on the local community. These two means of contact with the campus will
certainly be achieved through the healing village, tourism, and institute partnerships described
above. The unification of these social and economic factors will create a network of contacts in
the area to help further develop it and draw more growth.
While development and traffic increase bring obvious economic and social benefits,
these factors will also impact the environment. Warm Springs is committed to minimizing this
impact as well as looking for ways to improve the local environment. The plan includes an
expansion of the existing 9-hole golf course into a modernized version of the original golf
course that was designed by Donald Ross. Its development would finally complete the plan
Ross presented to Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1926 . Such a project would be undertaken so
as to minimize environmental damages, with the plans for constructions following many of the
recommendations by the United States Golf Association for environmentally friendly golf
courses, which were developed by golf and environmental experts. They will take measures to
ensure that all areas outside of the constructed golf course are repaired and to ensure that the
soil is of high quality and the right mixture to fit in with the surrounding environment. RWS is
concerned about the impact of fertilizer and run off of pesticides on the environment and will
address these with best practices. Overall, the completion of the handicap friendly golf course,
as originally presented to Franklin Roosevelt, will have minimal long run environmental impact
and will stand as a testament to the continuing evolution and improvement of Franklin
Roosevelt's living legacy in Warm Springs.
Other projects that are being considered are the renovations of the cottages in Warm
Springs. Their condition varies over the entire spectrum, but with all cottages needing some
form of renovation. The environmental impact of the cottage renovation is uncertain and will
require an environmental engineer assessment to deal with the problems of lead paint,
asbestos, or other items in need of fixing. The renovation of the cottages will prove helpful in
removing these environmental hazards and improving the health of Warm Springs by ensuring
that they will not have a chance to contaminate the surrounding land.
There is also the possibility of starting an organic farm at the Warm Springs Institute.
Organic farming has been shown by a thirty year “Farm Systems Analysis Trial” to outperform
conventional methods in years of drought, builds up the soil (making the practice more
sustainable), uses 45% less energy, produces 28% less greenhouse gases, and can be more
profitable than conventional farming methods. Another benefit produced by organic farming,
is since it is more work intensive, it would provide more jobs than a basic farm.
20

22. Critical Risks and Assumptions
PORTER 5 FORCES
The following section overviews the five forces that impact the competitive intensity and
therefore potential profitability and attractiveness of the vocational rehabilitation industry.
Competitive Challenge
Establishing a vocational school requires national or regional accreditation.59 The capital
requirements vary depending on whether it is online or has a physical campus. For instance, a
modestly sized IT school with 2 classroom facilities, office space, server room, and computer lab
costs $160,000 for equipment and $3,500 a month in rent for 2,500 square feet in San Diego.60
Moreover, a school with an online component can service many students who would not
be able to regularly commute to campus. This may reduce the overall number of schools by
allowing those situated in large cities to service students in the surrounding suburbs and rural
areas. Some schools such as those established by national brands like MIT, UC Berkeley and
Stanford may even have national reach for their online components.
But while the costs and barriers to establishing schools are not insignificant, many
existing schools have to turn away students because demand is currently greater than their
capacity. Meanwhile, the number of perspective students has increased dramatically due to the
recession and millions of people being laid off and in need of retraining.61 A report from
INC.com states that the revenue for trade and technical schools grew by a brisk 8.12% and
15.22% in 2009 and 2010, respectively.62 According to Sageworks, profit margins were a healthy
10.66% in 2010. These increases in demand are expected to result in better profit margins and
the entrance of new competitors.61
Threat of Substitute products or services
There are few substitutes for a vocational education, especially during times of
economic distress.63 The James Irvine Foundation, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Nellie
Mae Education Foundation all supported a report by the Harvard Graduate School of Education
entitled Pathways to Prosperity.64 The report details the benefits of vocational education and
the support it receives from charities such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 64
Companies such as Duke Energy also provide grants for students to take courses.65 A
government report highlights how successful these programs can be for veterans, documenting
an average salary increase of 623% for all participants and an increase of 593% for those with a
serious employment handicap.66 As used in the report, a serious employment handicap is a
significant impairment in a vet's ability to prepare for, obtain or retain employment consistent
with his or her abilities, aptitudes, and interests, and which results in substantial part from a
service connected disability.
Bargaining Power of Customers
The US government has programs actively encouraging veterans to go into vocational
training. They estimate that such training will increase their salaries by approximately 600%.66
Meanwhile, civilian clients are in need of these services, especially during the current malaise.
21

23. Moreover substitutes do not exist that provide the same level of income enhancement for the
same price.63 Overall, vocational education is needed if certain jobs in the American economy
are to be filled, since Bachelor degrees do not cover the same fields or methods of teaching.35
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
The main organization of educators is the Association for Career and Technical
Education.66 The human capital represented by them and those who produce the course
content are the parts of the supply chain with the most bargaining leverage since hardware like
servers come from many suppliers. In particular, the creation of the courseware can be very
time consuming, with one hour of courseware/training taking from 33 hours to 750 hours to
create, depending on its complexity.68 Many programs therefore resort to purchasing or leasing
third-party courses and materials, although their quality can be questionable when compared
to courseware created by the provider.69 A study by Bersin & Associates in 2009 revealed that
the largest 6 companies in Learning Management Resources, the distributors of such e-learning
courseware, represent about 50% of the market.70
Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
There are a large number of firms in vocational education. According to the National
Center for Education Statistic, some 1426 vocational schools exist.71 Among these, there is a
great diversity in the fields covered.72 There does not seem to be much competition between
firms, as both online and offline schools continue to exist and be profitable with no single type
of education proving to be better than another.
Program Risks
The vocational rehabilitation program is tied in with the overall rehabilitation program
as a one-stop-shop for wounded veterans. Should the rehabilitation program prove too
optimistic or suffer setbacks, the vocational program could be affected. Potential problems the
rehabilitation program may suffer include a shortage of needed staff, higher healthcare costs,
and the military deciding not to transport as many wounded soldiers to Warm Springs for
rehabilitation. This would result in a shortage of clients for both programs. Due to its proximity
to several metropolitan areas, there is a civilian population that can be used to substitute as
well as complement the veteran program in both the physical and vocational rehabilitation
programs.
The vocational program might suffer from a shortage of qualified staff despite its
advantageous location between the cities. The Warm Springs team will mitigate this by
designing the programs to require as few on-site workers as possible. Online courses will be
emphasized, as will courses at partner universities. As mentioned previously, the professors will
teach online whenever possible. However, this may not be enough to prevent shortages.
Should those arise, the team would consider sharing resources with other governmental or
nonprofit organizations. For instance, the project might approach the VA about using their
therapists to help select the homeless population for programs at the project's expense.
Market Risks
Wounded veterans returning from deployments are the main clientele of both the
physical and vocational rehabilitation programs. Although stable, this market is not sustainable.
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24. The US has already pulled out of Iraq and is in the process of pulling out of Afghanistan.
Assuming no further major US military commitments in the near future, the withdrawal is going
to reduce the need for the vocational services beyond the 2016 timeline as the returning
veterans successfully use programs such as the one described here to find gainful employment.
Even if another war were to occur, advances in technology might mean fewer chances for injury
on the front lines. Further, the Pentagon aims to reduce the size of the armed forces by 80,000
soldiers overall73. As the number of returning veterans declines, the program would gradually
shift toward employment training towards the entire population of people with disabilities.
More and more states are creating their own vocational programs to cater to both
military and civilian citizens, resulting in a growing market. This market is based on convenience
and training programs, not cost. Therefore, it’s unlikely that any state competitors would try to
undercut us by price. Warm Springs would be more than willing to borrow their ideas and
techniques to save the military badly needed funds. Should a private organization create a
program that can provide adequate training at lower costs, the program might approach them
to offer the use of Warm Springs as an incubator for their ideas.
On the civilian side, the period of low unemployment might end. Such an action would
also see a reduction in the homeless population, and a fall in persons with disabilities
unemployment rate. Should that happen, the vocational program would be willing to focus on
other at-risk or vulnerable groups, shift its focus between the needs of the three metropolitan
areas it borders, or happily scale down.
Economic Risks
Although recession resistant, the nonprofit healthcare and vocational rehabilitation
program is not immune to the larger trends in the market. As mentioned in the Business
Economics section, each program would be self-sustaining in funding to permit it to operate
independently from the others. This arrangement minimizes the possible damages such as a
particular donor pulling out or projections being too optimistic.
The vocational programs will also be divided into two categories: core and optional. The
core programs are those that have to exist for the donors to continue funding the program. For
instance, the section 110 funding requires people with disabilities to continue receiving the 4:1
matching Federal Funds. In worst case scenarios, the funding may be shifted from the optional
to the core program. To avoid incentivizing complacency among the core programs, the alliance
will expect the core programs to remain self-sustaining and will be inspected quarterly to
ensure they meet the standard. Failure to do so could result in them being removed from the
“protected” list. The procedure for this is yet to be finalized.
Each individual program is expected to maintain a reserve fund equal to its expected
expenditures within one training program (as mentioned in the Product section, the training
cycle varies by program). This reserve fund should help the program meet unexpected funding
shortfalls such as an unexpected spike in costs, a drop in enrollment below its break-even point,
and a loss of funds at any point within the operating cycle. This fund is meant to cover any
short-term budget crunches, not to cover structural deficits, hence its limited size. In extremely
rare cases where this fund is not adequate, the individual program is allowed to get credit.
However, it will be limited to borrowing only against itself, and can’t divert any credit from
other programs.
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25. Every nonprofit program has to worry about structural deficits that would occur as a
result of donors pulling out or the program’s projected costs being too optimistic. Should such
shocks occur, the program would be allowed to use its reserve fund to tidy itself over until it
either cuts costs or finds new donors. Should this take longer than one training cycle, the
program may appeal to be allowed to borrow credit as long as it proves it can return to being
self-sustaining within a reasonable period of time.
Risks to funding stem not only from charitable donations, but also from governmental
sources. Since the recession began, governments within the Western world have been
undergoing austerity. The military budget is not immune to these austerity measures and is
expected to experience $478 billion in budget cuts over the next 10 years. Although unlikely,
there’s no reason to believe disabilities programs won’t be affected. While no one can
completely work around the austerity that’s coming, the Warm Springs Initiative team believes
that the worst effects of austerity can be mitigated. The team doesn’t rely on a single funding
source; instead it draws from a mixture of government, corporate, and nonprofit sources of
funding. Not all our funding sources are national, as some donations come from nations such as
the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Development Risks
The risk exists that the projected schedule for any given program is too optimistic, either
in its estimate of the time required to develop each training program, or in its assumptions on
how long it will take to find adequate funding for it. In recognizing this risk, significant margins
will be built in. Further, the programs are independent of each other to ensure that a delay in
one does not cascade into a delay in others. Finally, programs whose completion is necessary
for funding purposes will be given priority. For instance, the programs needed to get the four
to one Section 110 match will have the highest priority, as the team plans to use that money to
develop other programs.
Extensions
This section will provide possible future venues of analysis and development as the Warm
Springs projects mature. They serve as a sample of ideas the team has scoped on potential
future developments. The subjects mentioned here were too large and complex to be considered
properly within the scope of the main business plan documentation. Nevertheless, these topics
must be addressed if the Warm Springs initiative is to succeed in the mid and long term.
Economic Development and Tourism
Based on a critical study of the Warm Springs area and the needs of both the vocational
and rehabilitation program, several possible recommendations for future development have
been written out. In general, the team believes that a broad holistic approach to economic
development is the key to promoting opportunities in the area, which can be exploited by
trainees, as well as make the area more attractive for investors and institutions.
The mission of the vocational program is manifold, yet, the programs mission can easily
be characterized as possessing three broad threads:
1. Endowing the trainees with in-demand skill sets
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26. 2. Providing entrepreneurship opportunities to the trainees
3. Connecting trainees with a geographically diverse network of alumni, partners, and
potential employers
Any strategy aimed at fulfilling the above criterion, must also focus on the economic
development of the surrounding area. Greater economic development in the local area
expands the opportunities provided to the trainees, to engage in their own independent paths
of economic activity outside of the main program. These could include finding apprenticeship,
engaging in an internship or participating in a joint local venture.
In the case of Warm Springs, the town has an excellent opportunity to build a brand for
itself and its neighboring localities. A cursory informal survey taken on the GT campus revealed
that outside a particular demographic of policy-oriented students, the town of Warm Springs
was unfamiliar or unknown to most of the graduate and undergraduate populations.
More surprisingly, an informal interview of Roosevelt Institute Campus Network
students from outside of Georgia revealed that while all knew of his base in Hyde Park, scarcely
1/10th of them recognized the significance of Warm Springs in the President’s legacy. It seems
reasonable to conclude that the vast majority of Americans nationally and in Georgia, are also
likely unfamiliar with the president’s connection with the place of Warm Springs.
This ’tabula rasa’ affords the project a unique opportunity to engage in the town’s
development and thereby increase outside buy-in and infrastructure investment, while forging
a relationship that could ultimately help build GWA’s brand nationwide as an attractive
alternative for wounded veterans and other individuals with disabilities.
In taking the first steps to analyze the city's brand potential, careful study must be made
of what current assets and activities make the locale unique and attractive. These include:
historic sites, cultural and entertainment areas, any local attractions/parks, and festivities.
A cursory reading of the town’s current activity calendars reveals events
commemorating a few major battles in WW2, including the Normandy Invasion in the summer
and Operation Market Garden in the early fall. Any study on the town’s tourism potential and
brand development should look at participation rates of these activities closely. Any consumer
will ask themselves at least these 3 simple questions before endeavoring on a trip:
1. Why would a consumer visit Warm Springs?
2. Where can I get more information?
3. Which sites in town, or in the adjacent area is interesting?
Currently, the most common answer to question 1 may be the historic nature of the
site. However, as stated previously, this facet of the town, although legitimate and interesting,
has not been effectively advertised to the general public. Likewise, the second question also
needs greater focus and improvement. The current town website is poorly constructed and
does not sell the town’s assets attractively. This could easily be remedied by hiring a
professional web developer and engaging in a cost-effective internet advertising campaign.
However, it is the third question where the project sees the most potential. Warm
Springs, if it is known to an individual at all, is mostly associated with the 32 nd President. There
is potential to explore new connections of this association, which could bring the town new
media attention as well as publicity.
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27. FDR is often thought of as the “People’s president". Indeed, he presided over the
recovery from the Great Depression in the 30s, established a robust social safety net for
Americans, and guided the country through the Second World War. Despite coming from an
aristocratic background, FDR the man, was also a down-to-earth individual. It is said that his
favorite foods were hot dogs and toasted cheese, and his favorite activity was fishing.
A new and creative way to extend this brand into the town is to host a national Hot dog
festival during the 4th of July. Georgia is known for its unique variants of food. In particular, the
neighboring cities of Columbus and Macon are especially known as one of the best producers of
frankfurters in the state. A festival of this sort can capture new market segments not based on
demography (age, income, ethnicity etc.), but rather geography and personality traits
(adventure, relaxation, excitement, fun etc.). A well-defined “food” brand could help the town
of Warm Springs distinguish itself for populations otherwise unfamiliar with the presidential
heritage of the town. Further, a well executed annual event could help improve the brand for
the state of Georgia.
The hot dog festival could unveil one such example of a signature food for the town and
the institute, "the Good Time Franklin", a hot dog with periodic slits along it to allow marinating
in alcohol. It would also be spiced so as to complement the flavoring and to symbolize a zest for
life and adventure. Roosevelt came to office during the end of the prohibition era. He presided
over the end of prohibition, helping to accelerate it along by signing into law the Cullen
Harrison Act, which legalized the sale of 3.2 beer and light wines. With his signature, he took
on an iconic status by saying, "I think this would be a good time for a beer." With prohibition
coming to an end, much of the nation agreed, as the common man could once again consume
alcohol without fear, a pleasure largely enjoyed by the wealthy against whom the law was often
not enforced.
A Tutorial System for the Vocational Program
The key to a successful vocational program will depend on the quality and nature of the
instruction. Measuring success in instruction is often difficult . There are numerous rankings of
universities, for example, but almost are determined on incoming student GPA and test-scores,
instead of comprehension and learning while in school or post-graduation success in the job
market.
Thus, education is viewed to many as a black-box , which few can penetrate. The lack of
scrutiny and accountability can lead to ever-increasing costs with little corresponding benefit to
show for it. That scenario must be avoided by the vocational program at all costs.
However, how ought the vocational program to be run in practice? Traditional lecture-
based instruction is fine, but often times this process lacks actionable and practical material and
focuses too much on theoretical perspectives. Further, for a significant number of veterans, this
method of learning may have played a role in choosing a trade or a military career as opposed
to continuing on to higher education in a 4-degree college or university.
Thus, imposing this instructional pedagogy may not be most appropriate for our
wounded warriors. Instead, a more self-directed learning style may be apt to induce both
interest and mastery of material. Lectures are a form of passive learning and while they are the
predominant vector of instruction in the United States, they are not the only established
classical style of education. A minority but tremendously successful alternative practice can be
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28. found in the Ox-Bridge tutorial system pioneered in Oxford and Cambridge University in
England.
This style of instruction is usually held with smaller classes of approximately 10, and
instead of listening to lectures by teachers, pairs of students alternate to study, research and
present different topics in the course curriculum. During the presentation, the student’s peers
are given a chance to critique the trainees work. The instructor in this case serves as a more
passive referee of active engagement and discovery.
Within the United States, this system has been implemented in several elite universities,
including Williams College in western Massachusetts. Currently several dozen tutorial courses
are offered there, ranging from higher mathematics to literature. Research into education
indicates that an Ox-Bridge style of instruction is more efficient at forming mastery and interest
amongst pupils.
Further, this style of learning is also more easily extendable to automation and
technology aiding implementation, which will help cut costs in the longer term. New
innovations in education like automated online coursework, such as those from Stanford
University and MIT online coursework, require students to actively direct their educational
experience, while still providing a structural framework of critique in the form of online
examinations, forums and homework assignments.
What’s more, standardization of the software architecture could allow for companies to
easily deploy their own proprietary course and instructional material to Warm Springs, which
will make the time spent more attractive to the potential employers as well as minimize costs
to all parties by reducing the number of instructors and other education infrastructure needed
onsite.
In this framework, Warm Springs would offer potential employers the physical space
and basic IT infrastructure for their training, with some on-site faculty expertise. This would
reduce the total cost of training for the employer, providing an incentive to engage Warm
Springs in these vocational programs.
Cottage Program
The team proposes to have the 27 historical cottages be rehabilitated according to
preservation standards. That includes rules such as using original material and construction
methods. This is a more specialized niche market that would pay more than “simple”
construction. This would require the trainees to be supervised by a PhD in the time period: the
1920’s-1930’s74. The team is proposing the Roosevelt Institute use its contacts among historians
from the Roosevelt Era to find those willing to supervise and train the clients.
The national market for preservationist skills does not get much press, but it is
significant. Significant northeastern cities had grown during the late 19th-early 20th century. In
Cambridge, the Cooper-Frost-Austin house dates from 1681, older than the nation 75. In New
York State, a thorough and comprehensive approval process is required to begin renovation76.
We have not done an industry analysis, but are confident that the job situation for workers in
this industry is better than the overall construction industry.
Even outside the Northeast, trainees can expect to find a healthy market. The Georgia
Tech Foundation recently had a spat over demolishing the Crum and Foster’s Building from the
1920’s77. Atlanta has several historic churches from the late 1800’s, including the Friendship
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29. Baptist78, Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation79, and the Catholic Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception80. Furthermore, not all of Georgia’s rural towns were burnt by Sherman
in the Civil War, and Savannah was largely spared. Casey has informed the group that she still
has some contacts within the historical preservation department there.
With this program, the trainee gains unique skills and experience. The ability to work on
these buildings shows potential employers the candidate’s trainability and willingness to learn,
making it more likely that the candidate would avoid slipping into homelessness. The carpentry,
plumbing, and painting skills the trainee would learn has other uses, potentially even allowing
the trainee to open their own business selling artwork based on that time period.
In addition to helping the clients, such a program would help the Institute as a whole.
First, the monetary and touristic value of the cottages increases as the structure remains
“authentic”. Second, other such programs are rare in rehabilitation centers. This could
represent a unique selling point for donors. The DOD also might be more inclined to send
veterans to the Warm Springs Institute because of these skills. As Scott said during the tour, the
plan is to make Warm Springs “a place people want to go to because of its unique reputation.”
There’s no better way to build such a reputation than to have a unique program not found
elsewhere. The historians themselves would introduce Warm Springs to connections within
various historical preservation markets, which other training programs are not yet exploiting.
This could make the task of the trainee finding a job far easier after the end of this program. As
you’re well aware, higher job placement rates attract more donors and more clients, potentially
allowing for the institute to expand its program beyond the core being developed now. Through
the partnership with Georgia Tech College of Architecture (CoA), the institute will gain
experience in the construction design, architectural, and engineering aspects of the cottage
renovation/construction project. At the same time, the CoA could use the historical renovation
as an experience strengthening it in this area and helping increase its rank among architectural
colleges.
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