(Photo courtesy of Kalamazoo College)

A new study shows Kalamazoo College contributed $32-million to the Kalamazoo area economy during the 2010-11 academic year. The analysis was conducted by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. Regional Analyst Brad Watts says Kalamazoo College brings in a unique group of students and faculty to the Kalamazoo area. He says the college draws students from around the country and from other countries that would otherwise go to a small liberal arts college elsewhere.

Watts says that makes its economic impact different from Western Michigan University or Kalamazoo Valley Community College which both have more students from the Kalamazoo area.

The economic impact study was commissioned by Kalamazoo College and conducted by the Upjohn Institute. Watts says the economic impact is good for Kalamazoo. But he says there are other benefits such as a pool of graduates available for local companies to hire.