This program is a segment of a wider strategy aimed at enabling students to achieve a living wage through obtaining qualifications such as diplomas or associate’s degrees.
CLEVELAND — A fresh collaboration between Cuyahoga Community College and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District is creating new educational opportunities for students citywide. Officials from both organizations highlight that this program focuses on fairness and inclusiveness by removing the typical barriers to achievement.
Guaranteed college admission for CMSD students
Under this collaboration, all seniors from CMSD gain direct entry into Tri-C without the need to undergo the traditional application process, streamlining their journey towards college admission.
“We want to make sure that high school seniors know that education is in their future, and by removing the barrier for the application, helping them with financial resources, it really sets them up for success,” Tri-C’s Vice President of Enrollment Management Angela Johnson said.
One student’s journey
Seventeen-year-old Errin Mims, a senior at the Cleveland High School For Digital Arts, is eager to take advantage of the opportunity. He’s set to start classes at Tri-C in the fall of 2025.
“It’s a lot of things I want to be able to do, and Tri-C is going to be the first step to me getting there,” Mims told 3News.
Mims, like 90% of CMSD students who enroll in TRI-C after graduation, will benefit from the Say Yes Cleveland scholarship that covers tuition costs. This financial support relieves pressures on families and ensures students can focus on their goals.
“Money has always been kind of a stressful thing, especially with my family,” Mims explained, “so I just like the opportunity that it’s not on my parents. It’s not stressing them out more than they already (can) be stressed out, and it’s not stressful towards me either.”
Mims plans to pursue a career in plumbing while exploring additional business ventures. He says his goal is to become a millionaire before the age of 30.
“I wanted to get into plumbing because it’s a stable job,” he said.
Building a brighter future
This initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure students can secure a family sustaining wage by earning credentials like certificates or associate degrees.
“They will need some credential in the future to really be able to be financially viable for themselves and for their family in the future,” Johnson added. She says this year, about 2,100 CMSD seniors are eligible for the direct admission partnership.
Looking ahead
While Tri-C is considering expanding this automatic admission partnership to other area school districts, details remain under wraps. However, Johnson says enticing young people to stay in Northeast Ohio is valuable to the region’s growth.
“This is the future … these 18 to 24-year-olds that we know we need in this region, this community, to really revitalize and continue to strengthen Northeast Ohio in various areas,” she said. “New programming, new in demand areas and fields that they are going to be the future of that success.”
