LCCC and CSU announce pathway for students

An extension to Lorain County Community College’s University Partnership with Cleveland State University now allows students to maintain duel admission to both schools. Starting this fall, students can begin their college career at LCCC and will finish with a bachelor’s degree from CSU through the new UP Express CSU initiative. The partnership advancement was announced during the annual Lorain County Superintendent’s meeting March 6 at LCCC. “From day one, the students are gonna be duel-admitted to both institutions,” said CSU president Harlan M. Sands. “This is a groundbreaking model. There are other schools who are doing it, but we’re gonna do it better, faster and more efficiently.” Some of the other benefits through the initiative include a joint identification card that allows students to attend special events and facilities at both schools. Additionally, students in the program will take a first-year experience course at LCCC taught by a CSU graduate and will be able to take up to three classes at CSU while attending LCCC. The UP Express CSU initiative will be open to all degree programs. Sands said CSU also will promote the initiative by sending UP Express CSU applications with rejection letters from other schools. “This is important to getting these kids on the right pathway in the right pipeline to a four year education,” he said. “The key here is intentionality. We’re very intentional about this pathway.” Since CSU is the most popular transfer destination for LCCC students, with 542 students earning a bachelor’s degree from CSU from LCCC’s University Partnership program, this additional initiative will help cut costs and debt for students, Sands said. “We know that affordability in our community is extremely important,” LCCC president Marcia Ballinger said. CSU and LCCC have worked as partners through the University Partnership since its concept in 1995. Ballinger said the institutions are looking “to solve the issue of Lorain County having one of the lowest educational attainment rates at the bachelor’s degree.” CSU student and Elyria High School graduate Alex Moen also spoke on how beneficial beginning her college career was at LCCC. Moen said she had always dreamed of going to a four-year college, but feared the cost. “As the oldest of my siblings, I was really afraid of accumulating student loans and debt by going away to a four-year school,” she said, adding that LCCC made her education that much more affordable. Moen said she was excited to see where the new initiative would take students.