In 2008, Rhode Island was in the early stages of refocusing its economic development efforts on transitioning to a knowledge-based economy. This move would require an educated workforce, largely deemed the responsibility of the state's 11 public and private institutions of higher education. For a state with slightly over a million residents and low population growth, increasing the retention of these graduates had the potential to close the postsecondary educational attainment gap that Rhode Island faced in comparison to its neighboring states. In fall 2009, nearly 100 educators, students, alumni, business leaders, policy officials, and entrepreneurs from across the state convened on the campus of Brown University for the Knowledge Retention Symposium, a forum to explore strategies to grow the state's knowledge workforce. From the discussion, it became clear that data were needed to determine whether the "brain drain" issue being discussed was real or perceived. In addition, two research questions emerged: how do current students view Rhode Island, and what experiences are common among alumni who decide to stay local after graduation? In 2010, "AICU Rhode Island" launched bRIdge, a statewide initiative to answer these questions and implement a strategy to increase post-graduate opportunity in Rhode Island. From the conversation that began in 2009 at the Knowledge Retention Symposium, to the data-driven strategy being implemented today, colleges and universities in Rhode Island are committed to working in partnership with the community to develop the educated workforce needed to reinvent the local economy.