Midwestern communities face a problem that could slowly suck the life out of their economies: brain drain.

This isn’t some plague lifted from a zombie movie, but it’s every bit as scary.

Brain drain refers to a phenomenon where highly educated people leave one area in favor of another. For example, scientists such as Albert Einstein fled Europe in droves before World War II for safer locales in the United States.

A similar scenario has cropped up in the American heartland.

The U.S. Census Bureau released a report in 2003 that measured the migration of people who were young, single and college-educated. In general, the report found the group had left the Great Plains and Rust Belt to establish their careers on the coasts or in the Southeast.

Missouri showed a population slide among the young, college-educated set, though Kansas City and St. Louis each saw gains among the same group. That leaves the losses to small cities and rural areas.

When St. Joseph’s three public high schools send their graduates across the stage today at Civic Arena, some of the best and brightest will smile, wave and never look back.

The St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce has a hard time tracking students after graduation, according to Cyndra Lorey, executive director of business relations and development. Privacy laws prohibit schools from keeping a record of their graduates’ wherabouts. Individuals keep records to plan events such as class reunions, but information is scattered.

The chamber ran into such problems when it tried to mail surveys to local graduates.

“There’s not any one entity that has all the alumni data,” Ms. Lorey said. “One person has the info for the class of 1954 and somebody else might have another class. You have to talk to a different person to get all the names, and it’s just an astronomical task to do that.”

Anecdotal evidence shows that high-achieving alumni haven’t forgotten their Midland Empire roots.

After Robert Schaaf graduated from Central High School in 2007, he wanted to continue his education at one of the best universities in the United States. He chose Harvard over Duke, Stanford and other far-away schools. Nothing against the Midwest, the best schools just happen to be on the coasts.

Mr. Schaaf has focused on social studies in his first two years at Harvard, an interdisciplinary approach that could lead him to any number of fields. He still has time to choose a path, and said he hopes he finds one that leads back to his hometown. He said he could see himself as a civic-minded citizen of St. Joseph, though probably not a politician like his father, state Rep. Dr. Rob Schaaf.

“There’s a lot of change that needs to come to St. Joseph, and I’d like to be a part of that,” Mr. Schaaf said.

Jon Doolittle can relate to the decision Mr. Schaaf must make. Mr. Doolittle was valedictorian of his Albany High School class of 1993, and graduated from Harvard in 1997.

After Harvard, Mr. Doolittle accepted a position with the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City. For the past 11 years, he has worked for Cerner.

Mr. Doolittle said he still remembers the day he decided he would return to the Midwest.

“There was one day my junior year of college, when I noticed myself racing for a subway car in Boston, nudging my shoulder in front of other people in the crowd to get a seat,” he said. “I didn’t knock anyone over or anything, but I really took notice. I was caught up in the rat race and I didn’t want to be a part of that.”

He saw the same qualities in the Midwest that business recruiters use to lure prize graduates — a family atmosphere, low cost of living, and a higher sense of courtesy and compassion.

In Kansas City, Mr. Doolittle found himself surrounded by old friends from rural Northwest Missouri. At one point, he played on a softball team made up entirely of players from Albany, Stanberry, King City and other surrounding towns.

As technology makes it easier for businessmen to work away from the office, Mr. Doolittle thinks it will become easier to conduct big business in small towns.

“I absolutely consider returning to the Albany area,” he said. “I’m not talking about retirement, either. It is very safe to say I think a lot about continuing my career there.”

The life experiences Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Schaaf and others gain can make a return even sweeter.

An extended stay in London changed Mr. Doolittle’s outlook on life. Later this month, Mr. Schaaf will leave for an 11-week course in Beijing that is sure to reveal thoughts that would not have been found in St. Joseph.

Even the chamber agrees that the best way to fight brain drain is to leave, learn and bring back something new.

“That’s probably the best-case scenario, because it gives that person a chance to get out and see the world and bring new ideas back,” Ms. Lorey said.

Clinton Thomas can be reached

at clintonthomas@npgco.com.