LCCC’s University Partnership ups bachelor’s degrees in county

Another viewpoint is a column The Morning Journal makes available so all sides of an issue may be aired. Marcia Ballinger is the president of Lorain County Community College.

Twenty-five years ago Lorain County launched something of great value, a precious gift to our community: the creation of the Lorain County Community College University Partnership Program to deliver affordable bachelor’s and master’s degrees to residents of Lorain County.

In the early 1990s, the economy was entering a period of technological innovation, a period that would give rise to the internet, advanced manufacturing, medical innovations and more. This transformation would alter the nature of jobs, requiring talent to have greater levels of education and skills. However, at that time, Lorain County ranked first in the region for associate degree graduates but last in the region for those with bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Recognizing the change underway, in 1994, more than 300 community leaders gathered to form a plan to raise educational attainment and keep Lorain County’s workforce competitive. These conversations would create the vision for what would become LCCC’s University Partnership.

A year later, in 1995, Lorain County voters supported the concept by passing a levy to create Lorain County Community College’s University Partnership. In 1996, the University Partnership launched with five colleges and universities delivering 12 bachelor’s and master’s degrees. That vision and leadership from our community made LCCC the first community college in Ohio to offer such a program.

Lorain County is well known for great vision and leadership and being “first.” The strong community support that created LCCC’s University Partnership as the first of its kind in Ohio was reminiscent of the 1960s, when this community created LCCC as the first community college with a permanent campus in Ohio. In fact, on Oct. 3, 1966, the day the LCCC Elyria campus opened, The Morning Journal ran an editorial cartoon that featured the campus bell tower building with a large bow and a gift tag that read, “from the people of Lorain County to future generations.”

LCCC and the University Partnership is certainly impacting generations in a profound way. LCCC’s University Partnership has helped increase bachelor’s and master’s degree attainment for Lorain County residents — contributing to a 75% increase in the number of Lorain County residents with bachelor’s degrees since 2000. That increase ranks Lorain County as among the fastest growing counties in the region for bachelor degree attainment, second to only Medina County.

Furthermore, 89% of those earning a bachelor’s degree in Lorain County since 2000 earned some college credit from LCCC. And in just the past seven years, the number of students enrolling in University Partnership programs has increased by 52 percent. During the May 2021 commencement, we celebrated 365 students who earned degrees through the University Partnership — the largest class in the history of the program.

These gains are more than impressive figures: advanced degrees increase graduates’ earning potential and supply local business and industry with a talented workforce pipeline. Central to its design, programs offered through the University Partnership directly align with in-demand jobs, filling positions for employers at a time when talent is a top priority.

University Partnership graduates are our community’s teachers, nurses, social workers, accountants, IT professionals, engineers and more. I too, am a proud graduate of the University Partnership having earned my MBA from Kent State University. Given that over 90% of graduates live and work in our region, LCCC and University Partnership graduates fuel our economy; a resource employers depend on.

Over the past 25 years, the Partnership has expanded to now offer more than 100 bachelor’s and master’s degrees from 14 Ohio universities and colleges — all delivered at a fraction of the cost of attending the university. In fact, the average University Partnership student saves $74,000 on their degree. That’s a savings that makes a real difference for students and their families. These savings can be particularly significant for high school dual enrollment students who follow a bachelor’s degree pathway through our MyUniversity program — a model that allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree by age 20 while saving 80 percent on the cost of their education.

This history and experience prepared Lorain County Community College to become the first community college in Ohio to deliver our own applied bachelor’s degrees. We focused on niche areas of the economy, such as Microelectronic Manufacturing which launched in 2018, with more programs soon to be announced.

This year we celebrate 25 years of impact of the University Partnership and thank you, our community, for your vision and support. As we look to the future, I’m filled with pride and optimism knowing our community has access to affordable, quality higher education that builds a stronger community.

Marcia Ballinger, PhD