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Tri-C Among Colleges Selected to Lead Equity Transfer Initiative

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) joins a select group of institutions across the country powering the Equity Transfer Initiative, a program designed to increase bachelor’s degree attainment for underrepresented populations.  Three dozen colleges and universities in 13 states are taking part in the project. The national effort seeks to increase transfer rates between two-year and four-year schools for African American, Hispanic and first-generation... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Western Campus on Jan. 28

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Jan. 28, at the Western Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing begins at 11 a.m. Individuals seeking tests must be in line by 2 p.m. Testing will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment is necessary. The testing service is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. The program offers testing... Read More

Tri-C Hosting Grocery Giveaway With Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging

More than 900 boxes of food and supplies will be distributed to families during a “Great Grocery Giveaway” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, at the Western Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The event — sponsored by the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging (WRAAA) — is part of a larger effort to fill food security gaps in the community.  Each box includes approximately $60 worth of groceries and... Read More

Tri-C Grad Named Berea Fire Chief

A career journey that began with classes at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has taken Terry Ledwell to the Berea Fire Department’s top spot.  Ledwell was sworn in as the city’s fire chief during a Jan. 15 ceremony. He joined the department two decades ago after completing his firefighter, paramedic and emergency medical technician training at the College.  The new position follows his rise in the ranks within the department, where he most... Read More

Tri-C Ranked Among Nation’s Best Community Colleges

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has been recognized as one of the nation’s “Best Community Colleges” by Intelligent.com.  Tri-C ranked fifth in Intelligent.com’s list of top two-year schools across the country and earned the top spot in the northeast region. Evaluations were based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation and post-graduate employment.  Nearly 200 community colleges were reviewed after an initial... Read More

Grant Secures Training Equipment for Tri-C’s Sterile Processing Program

A $50,000 grant helped Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) acquire a critical piece of training equipment for the Sterile Processing and Distribution Technology program.  The gift will go toward purchasing an autoclave, or steam sterilizer. The machine decontaminates items using pressurized steam and is a standard piece of equipment in sterile processing departments in health care facilities.  The College program’s previous autoclave was inoperable and... Read More

Tri-C Hosting ‘Super Saturday’ Enrollment Event on Jan. 30

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will host a Super Saturday enrollment event at five sites Jan. 30 to help students register for spring classes and apply for financial aid.  The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The session offers an opportunity to meet with academic counselors and visit enrollment and financial aid offices to solidify a class schedule for spring semester.  Participating locations include: Brunswick University Center, 3605 Center... Read More

Tri-C’s Simulated Scenario Village Earns LEED Certification

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) earned a LEED® certification from the United States Green Building Council for the administrative center at Simulated Scenario Village, a training complex for first responders.  LEED certification is a nationally recognized benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. This is the College’s sixth building with a LEED designation.  “Tri-C holds itself to a... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Corporate College East on Jan. 21

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Jan. 21, at Corporate College® East through a partnership between Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing begins at 11 a.m. Individuals seeking tests must be in line by 2 p.m. Testing will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment is necessary. The testing service is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. The... Read More

Tri-C Students Receive Scholarships at Dr. King Observance

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by awarding scholarships to a dozen students during the College’s 44th annual birthday observance of the civil rights leader.  The scholarships from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Scholarship Fund recognize academic excellence and community service by Tri-C students who graduated from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District or other Cuyahoga County schools.  The 2020... Read More

Future Leaders Dreaming Forward: CSU, Tri-C Students Honor Dr. King

Students from Cleveland State University and Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the “Future Leaders Dreaming Forward” event on Tuesday, Jan. 19. The commemoration begins at 8:30 a.m. and can be viewed at tri-c.edu/dreamingforward. This is the 30th year the institutions have partnered to celebrate Dr. King’s vision and encourage students to actualize their own dreams.  Opening remarks will be... Read More

Tri-C Announces ‘Stand for Racial Justice’ High School Essay Contest Winners

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) recently asked Northeast Ohio teens to weigh in on a question that society often struggles to answer: What is racism, and what should we do about it?  Their answers offer optimism for the future while illuminating a path toward a more inclusive community.  “Our goal in sponsoring this essay contest was to advance the public conversation on racism by inviting students to think deeply about what it is and how best to... Read More

‘Stand for Racial Justice’ High School Essay Contest Winner: Aparna Srikanth

Cuyahoga Community College recently asked Northeast Ohio teens to weigh in on a question society often struggles to answer: What is racism, and what should we do about it? Nearly 200 students answered. The following essay by Aparna Srikanth of Solon was the third-place winner in the sophomore-freshmen group. She is a student at Solon High School. The fanfare of epiphany doesn’t suddenly crash, like a star to earth, without reason. It approaches silently. Building tension with... Read More

‘Stand for Racial Justice’ High School Essay Contest Winner: Elisa Unangst

Cuyahoga Community College recently asked Northeast Ohio teens to weigh in on a question society often struggles to answer: What is racism, and what should we do about it? Nearly 200 students answered. The following essay by Elisa Unangst of Twinsburg was the second-place winner in the sophomore-freshmen group. She is a student at Twinsburg High School. Officer! Please do not shoot. Please don’t sh — Bodies crusted in crimson. Time is passing and people are too. Nearby... Read More

‘Stand for Racial Justice’ High School Essay Contest Winner: Ethan Khorana

Cuyahoga Community College recently asked Northeast Ohio teens to weigh in on a question society often struggles to answer: What is racism, and what should we do about it? Nearly 200 students answered. The following essay by Ethan Khorana of Shaker Heights was the first-place winner in the sophomore-freshmen group. He is a student at Mastery School of Hawken. Above the shining city on the hill floats a cloud of darkness called racism. Racism has been ingrained in the depths of American... Read More

‘Stand for Racial Justice’ High School Essay Contest Winner: Ava Parikh

Cuyahoga Community College recently asked Northeast Ohio teens to weigh in on a question society often struggles to answer: What is racism, and what should we do about it? Nearly 200 students answered. The following essay by Ava Parikh of Solon was the third-place winner in the senior-junior group. She is a student at Solon High School. Racism is a marching system of slights, prejudices, biases, inequities, ignorance and violence. It is an instrument designed by human hands meant to justify... Read More

‘Stand for Racial Justice’ High School Essay Contest Winner: Miles Watts

Cuyahoga Community College recently asked Northeast Ohio teens to weigh in on a question society often struggles to answer: What is racism, and what should we do about it? Nearly 200 students answered. The following essay by Miles Watts of Lakewood was the second-place winner in the senior-junior group. He is a student at Lakewood High School. Racism isn’t just one thing, it is a combination of philosophies. When broken down racism is inequality, an imbalance of opportunities.... Read More

‘Stand for Racial Justice’ High School Essay Contest Winner: Wendy Wu

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) recently asked Northeast Ohio teens to weigh in on a question society often struggles to answer: What is racism, and what should we do about it? Nearly 200 students answered. The following essay by Wendy Wu of Solon was the first-place winner in the senior-junior group. She is a student at Solon High School. At the age of 11, I should be the kid who stares blankly into a distant object with a silly yet innocent gaze while licking the sweet... Read More

Help Tri-C Students and ‘Chase the Flavor’ With Chef Eric Wells

Learn to make chicken and andouille sausage gumbo with Chef Eric Wells during a virtual cooking experience benefiting hospitality management students at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The “Chase the Flavor” online event begins at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29. The live demonstration from one of Cleveland’s top culinary talents will stream via Zoom.  Registered participants will receive an email with an ingredient list on Monday, Jan.... Read More

Tri-C Access Centers Offer Online Workforce Training Course

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is offering a free online Workforce Success course this spring to expand community access to education and job training during the COVID-19 outbreak.  The course is designed to sharpen skills necessary to succeed in the workplace while providing an introduction to the College and its resources. It is part of the ongoing Tri-C Access Center initiative. The session begins Feb. 3.  Participants will: Earn college... Read More

Tri-C Awarded State Grant to Mentor At-Risk Teens

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and four partnering institutions have received an OhioCorps Pilot Grant to develop a mentorship program that guides at-risk teens toward academic achievement and degrees.  The Ohio Department of Higher Education awarded $345,000 for the two-year pilot project. The consortium of schools includes Tri-C, the University of Akron, Lakeland Community College, Lorain County Community College and Stark State College.  The focus... Read More

Tri-C President Alex Johnson on Developing Leadership Skills

In his continuing series of Smart Business Cleveland columns, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Alex Johnson has written about the characteristics and skills necessary to be a transformative leader.His most recent column, published last week, focuses on three skills in particular that a transformative leader should develop and master: a commanding demeanor, collaboration and consultation, and advocacy.Leaders with a commanding demeanor are intentional about projecting... Read More

‘Tri-C Performing Arts’ Presents: Antonio Pompa-Baldi and Emanuela Friscioni

Husband-and-wife duo Antonio Pompa-Baldi and Emanuela Friscioni will premiere an Italian composer’s latest work this month during the Tri-C Performing Arts Classical Piano Series presented by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Luca Moscardi’s Suite, Op.13 will be played for the first time during a virtual recital at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24. The concert will also feature music from famed composers Franz Schubert and Claude... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Metro Campus on Jan. 14

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Jan. 14, at the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing begins at 11 a.m. Individuals seeking tests must be in line by 2 p.m. Testing will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment is necessary. The testing service is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. The program offers... Read More

Tri-C Health and Wellness Coaching Program Gains National Board Approval

The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching recently bestowed its seal of approval upon the Sport and Exercise Studies program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The designation allows Tri-C students who complete a specialized course to sit for the organization’s professional certification exam. Tri-C and The Ohio State University offer the only NBHWC-approved college programs in the state.  Health and wellness coaches work with individuals... Read More

Why CEOs Should Understand Cybersecurity

Just about every company uses the internet to conduct business in some form. Whether you’re storing critical data on cloud servers or simply marketing your services via your website and social media, every company is online to some degree. And with that presence come cybersecurity risks.CEOs and their C-suite colleagues are likely aware that online security threats exist, but in a recent Smart Business Cleveland article, Charles Dull said the need to stay current and speak to... Read More

Tri-C’s Women in Transition Program Offers Online Spring Sessions

The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is launching spring sessions of online classes to empower women in their pursuit of education, training and a career.  The multi-week programs begin the last week of January. Interactive online classes will take place from 10 a.m. to noon three days a week. One course runs Monday to Wednesday; the other runs Tuesday to Thursday. The noncredit program is free and open to the... Read More

Tri-C Professor Highlighted by Her Alma Mater

McDaniel College in Maryland turned its alumni spotlight toward Northeast Ohio with a profile on C. Jean Mosley Hall, a professor of American Sign Language at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Hall graduated from McDaniel in 1976 with a master’s degree in deaf education, a step in a journey that eventually led to the front of Tri-C classrooms. She has been at Tri-C since 1999.  In the McDaniel alumni profile, Hall talked about building bonds with her... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Andrew Bajda

Andrew Bajda is an assistant professor of business at Tri-C’s Metropolitan Campus. As lead faculty for the College’s Small Business Management program, he also serves as faculty advisor for ThRIve — a student group that promotes entrepreneurship with a focus on impacting the local community. His 2017 book, Captured in Liberation, details his family’s escape from Poland in 1939 and his father’s quest to join Anders’... Read More

Tri-C President Alex Johnson Named to Crain’s ‘Power 150’ List

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Alex Johnson stands among the civic leaders moving Northeast Ohio forward as the region enters 2021, according to Crain’s Cleveland Business.  The publication installed Johnson on its Power 150 list, which highlights business, civic and political leaders shaping Greater Cleveland. Honorees were listed in the Crain’s 2021 Book of Lists. (A subscription is required to view the issue.)  Johnson has... Read More

Building College Enrollment to Better the Community

Crain’s Cleveland Business recently published the following essay from Tri-C President Alex Johnson examining how enrollment at the College is critical to the region’s future. The column appeared in the Dec. 21 edition.  Fall 2020 enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows COVID-19’s impact on community colleges. Across the nation, the total student population at community colleges dropped by 9.4%.  Nearly... Read More

Bringing Music to the Masses

It’s been almost a year since the lights went out on the performing arts industry.  From Blossom Music Center to Broadway, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacted a massive toll in the form of canceled concerts and shows. It has forced performers to practice at home and perform via video stream.  The impact of social distancing is magnified when you’re a part of an ensemble like the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, the 110-member vocal component of the... Read More

Tri-C Grad Feeds Her Dreams Despite Pandemic

Struggle was a nearly universal theme in the restaurant space last year. The news was inundated with stories of restaurants, bars and food trucks scaling back operations or closing altogether.  But scattered among those bleak headlines were stories of hope. Nicole Ortiz is one of them. In August, the 2016 graduate of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) opened her first restaurant business, a food truck called “Crave,” in Holyoke,... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Westshore Campus on Jan. 7

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Jan. 7, at the Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing begins at 11 a.m. Individuals seeking tests must be in line by 2 p.m. Testing will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment is necessary. The testing service is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. The program offers testing... Read More

Tri-C Offers ‘Super Saturday’ Enrollment Events

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will host a pair of Super Saturday enrollment events at five sites in January to help students register for spring classes and apply for financial aid.  The Super Saturday events will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 16 and Jan. 30. The sessions offer opportunities to meet with academic counselors and visit enrollment and financial aid offices to solidify a class schedule for spring semester.  Participating locations... Read More

Tri-C Metro Campus Hosts Two Days of COVID-19 Testing Week of Dec. 21

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing will be offered two days next week at the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Free testing will take place at the campus Monday, Dec. 21, and Wednesday, Dec. 23. Testing begins at 11 a.m. each day and will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals seeking tests must be in line by 2 p.m. No appointment is necessary.  The testing service is... Read More

Tri-C Hosts Virtual Dr. King Celebration on Jan. 17

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will host a virtual celebration for its annual birthday observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., continuing a tradition that began in 1977.  The 44th annual celebration begins at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 17. The online remembrance will feature an assortment of musical performances as well as scholarship presentations and student speeches honoring the civil rights leader.  Visit www.tri-c.edu/MLK2021 to register for the free... Read More

2021 State of the College: Determined to Make a Difference

The following “State of the College” essay by Tri-C President Alex Johnson served as the cover story for the fall 2020 edition of Tri-C Times magazine.  Challenges defined the past year. Uncertainties gripped the calendar seemingly from the first days of 2020 until we turned the page into December.  A global pandemic left its deadly mark while shattering the norms of daily life. Unemployment numbers surged to record levels in a lurching economy. An... Read More

Tri-C Foundation’s Megan O’Bryan on Thanking Donors

Gratitude is a common theme during the holidays — even more so now as we bid farewell to one of the most challenging years we’ve ever experienced.  But as we thank family, friends, first responders, medical professionals and all those who have helped us persevere throughout 2020, Megan O’Bryan says nonprofits should add donors to their thank-you list this holiday season.  The president of the Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®)... Read More

Tri-C JazzFest and Jazz at Lincoln Center Collaborate to Honor Clifford Brown

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) today announced a collaboration between Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland and Jazz at Lincoln Center to celebrate the 90th birthday of late jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown.  Clifford Brown at 90: Brownie Speaks will be streamed on the Tri-C JazzFest Facebook page and other social media sites at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 6. The hourlong concert is free, but donations are encouraged.  The pre-recorded performance recognizes the artistry and... Read More

Brunswick University Center: A Decade of Service to the Community

The Brunswick University Center at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2021.  More than just a place to pursue an education, the center has become an integral part of the Medina County community over the past decade. More than 12,500 students have taken courses at BUC since it opened in 2011.  The center offers a convenient educational option for residents in Medina County and southern Cuyahoga County communities. Students... Read More

Alumni List Grows for Tri-C’s Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program

Twenty-six entrepreneurs from Northeast Ohio and beyond recently took a step toward greater business success by completing the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Small-business operators who previously graduated from the program have outperformed the broader economy while exceeding national and local averages in revenue growth and job creation.  With the most recent graduating class, the 10,000 Small Businesses... Read More

A Sense of Direction

Jason Caruso is the student speaker for the Fall 2020 virtual commencement at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). When he delivers his speech to more than 4,600 graduates, his words about goal-setting, dreams and perseverance will come from personal experience: a 27-year life that has already been full of tremendous highs and lows.  Caruso, of Lakewood, has been a model student since enrolling at Tri-C in fall 2018. He’s been a member of the Honors Program and... Read More

Ahead of Pace: Earning a College Degree Before a High School Diploma

Graduating from college before high school? Eighty-one teens attending Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) made that seemingly out-of-order statement a reality in 2020.  Each student earned an associate degree or certificate from Tri-C this year through Ohio’s College Credit Plus program. The dual enrollment system allows students to earn college credits while meeting high school graduation requirements.  The following College Credit Plus students,... Read More

Team NEO Report: In-Demand Occupations Remain Critical During Pandemic

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), leader of the Workforce Connect Healthcare Sector Partnership (WCHSP), and Team NEO have released Team NEO’s December 2020 Quarterly Economic Review, about the state of job postings during the pandemic, with a focus on health care needs and opportunities in Northeast Ohio.  Team NEO’s data for occupations during the eight-month timeframe of March 1 through October 31, 2020, reveal the following... Read More

A Successful Year: Tri-C Fall Commencement Celebrates 4,700+ Graduates

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will celebrate the academic achievements of more than 4,700 petitioning graduates during a virtual Fall Commencement ceremony at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17.  The online celebration will honor Tri-C’s Class of 2020 from spring, summer and fall semesters.  The graduate total — which is near record highs — reflects the ongoing impact of College programs and initiatives designed to keep students on the... Read More

An Upward Climb

When a professor literally told Lauren Anderson and her classmates at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) to “go climb a tree” as part of an arboriculture course, she was more than a little hesitant.  “I have a fear of heights, so the idea was terrifying to me,” she said. “I had every intention of not doing it. But after learning more, taking baby steps, I finally did it. I climbed that tree.”  That... Read More

New Country, New Beginning

Three and a half years ago, Valeria Mantuano moved to Cleveland from Ecuador with her family. She was in her mid-20s, didn’t know anyone, had no college education and spoke barely a word of English.  Today, the 29-year-old Brook Park resident is bilingual, has friends from around the world and is an aspiring human resources professional.  Her progress is due to her own hard work and the support she found at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), where she... Read More

The Importance of Beginnings

Monroe Kennedy III earned a Ph.D. on his way to becoming an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford University. Earlier this year, he reverse transferred college credits to complete the Associate of Science degree he began working toward at Tri-C in 2006.  In the following essay, which was published in the fall 2020 edition of Tri-C Times magazine, Kennedy explains why he felt the need to finish what he started more than a decade ago.  Beginnings are... Read More

Tri-C Hosts Four Days of COVID-19 Testing Week of Dec. 14

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing will be offered four days next week at two Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) campuses through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Free testing will take place at Metropolitan Campus in Cleveland on Monday, Dec. 14; Wednesday, Dec. 16; and Friday, Dec. 18. Testing will be offered at Westshore Campus in Westlake on Thursday, Dec. 17.  Testing begins at 11 a.m. each day. Individuals seeking tests must be in line by 2 p.m.... Read More

Moving From Art to the ER

Jillian Dennison clocked into the Cleveland Clinic as an administrative assistant for the past four years. The job gave her a front row seat to watch the life-changing work done by nurses at the hospital.  Now, she’s set to join them on the front lines of health care after graduating from the Nursing Center of Excellence at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Dennison is set to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing from Tri-C this... Read More

Tri-C’s Alex Johnson, AACC Leaders Offer Insights to Biden Transition Team

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Alex Johnson joined other higher education leaders in meeting with President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team to discuss priorities for two-year schools and their students.  Representatives from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) held three sessions with Biden’s team. Johnson is the immediate past chair of the AACC, the primary advocacy organization for the nation’s community... Read More

Finding a Career, Fulfilling a Dream

Good things come to those who wait. Good things also come to those who are willing to put in the work.  Mario Anderson Jr. is proof of both. The 29-year-old Cleveland resident has faced a number of twists and turns on his path to an associate degree in media and journalism studies from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), which he will earn this month. However, he has stayed the course and is now one step closer to his dream of a career in broadcast... Read More

Calculated Risk Equals Success

Daliah Kassim’s final grade in college algebra stood out for all the wrong reasons following her first semester at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  She finished the Fall 2018 course with a D. For a student with a history of academic success, the grade felt more than a little jarring. “I had never really struggled in a class before,” Kassim said.  To be fair, though, the 14-year-old had only completed eighth grade up to that... Read More

Finishing on a High Note

Music has been a part of Jamie Vitullo’s life since grade school. The Youngstown-area native has been drumming since he was nine and playing in bands since high school.  But it wasn’t until he entered the Recording Arts and Technology (RAT) program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) that he started to seriously consider a music-related career.  “My brother was in the RAT program about four or five years before me,”... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Lisa Friel

#TriCFamous is a bimonthly feature that introduces readers to the people who make the College work while providing a sneak peek into their lives off campus.  Lisa Friel is an assistant professor of English as a Second Language at Tri-C’s Westshore Campus. She particularly enjoys teaching writing, and she helps student share their work with a wider audience as an editor for the College’s annual ESL Voices publication. In addition to teaching, she organizes... Read More

Tri-C Encore 55+ Opens Registration for Upcoming Sessions of Online Courses

Encore 55+ Learning at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has opened registration for new sessions of online courses as the College works to maintain community programs amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.  Encore On-the-Go features virtual sessions three times a week to enrich the minds and lives of those aged 55 and older. The first six-week session begins Jan. 26, followed by sessions starting March 16 and May 4.  The 50-minute classes meet once a week on either... Read More

Working Out a Career Path

Twelve years ago, Porsche Mercer enrolled at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). That version of her lacked focus and direction.  The 2020 version does not.  The 32-year-old Cleveland resident will graduate from Tri-C this month with an Associate of Applied Science degree in a major — sport and exercise studies — that now powers her career ambitions.  “I can do this until I’m 100, because I love it,” she... Read More

Finishing the Job

Phil Salem built a career in auto dealership service centers. A combination of hard work, determination and a lot of luck boosted him into a director’s office. “Nothing came easy,” Salem said.  In looking back, he realized a decision made almost two decades ago contributed to that long and rough road. So Salem did what he’s trained to do: He fixed it.  The 40-year-old returned to Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) this year... Read More

Drawn to Tri-C

Calvin Brown drew up a perfect storyline during his time at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). For a future film animator, that seems fitting.  The 20-year-old is set to graduate from the College in December with an Associate of Arts degree. His next scene is being sketched out for 2021 at Cleveland State University’s School of Film and Media Arts.  It has been a feel-good script … and Tri-C served as the plot twist.  Brown waited... Read More

‘Mentoring Monday’ Event Offers a Tri-C Connection

Jody Wheaton of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will be among dozens of mentors participating in an upcoming virtual program for Northeast Ohio women looking to build their careers.  Mentoring Monday will take place from noon to 2 p.m. Feb. 22. The event, now in its second year, was created to help local professional women network and learn from one another.  Wheaton serves in a leadership position at Tri-C’s Corporate College®, where she is... Read More

Tri-C Hosts Four Days of COVID-19 Testing Week of Dec. 7

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing will be offered four days next week at two Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) campuses through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Free testing will take place at Metropolitan Campus in Cleveland on Monday, Dec. 7; Wednesday, Dec. 9; and Friday, Dec. 11. Testing will be offered at Western Campus in Parma on Thursday, Dec. 10.  Testing begins at 11 a.m. each day. Individuals seeking tests must be in line by 2 p.m. Testing... Read More

A Long Road Toward Independence

Balqis Al-Shafei moved nearly 7,000 miles from her homeland of Qatar to enroll at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) nearly three years ago. She arrived in Cleveland alone and on her own at age 18.  The experience tested her both in the classroom and in life — and it’s safe to say that she passed on both counts. Al-Shafei is set to graduate from Tri-C this month with an Associate of Arts degree.  “There have been many moments where I... Read More

Tri-C’s Sue Krejci on the Health Care Talent Pipeline

Throughout Northeast Ohio, there was already a growing need for new health care workers prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. But over the past nine months, the need has become urgent.  COVID-19 has stretched the capacity of many health care systems to the limit, making talent acquisition a top priority.  Sue Krejci, executive director of the Workforce Connect Healthcare Sector Partnership at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), recently spoke with Smart Business... Read More

Taking a Chance on a New Career

Deciding to change careers in your 50s takes more than guts — it also takes support. Karen Brej, 51, felt that she had done all she could do in her office job at a small manufacturer. She wanted something challenging. After taking some personality assessments, she decided accounting was the right fit. So last year, Brej took a chance and enrolled at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). “It was a little scary,” the Medina resident said.... Read More

Passing the Test: Berea Hires a Familiar Tri-C Grad

On-the-job training did more than help Ryan Casey graduate from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). It opened the door to employment.  The city of Berea recently hired Casey as a firefighter/paramedic. During his time at the College, Casey completed most of his ambulance clinical training riding along with the Berea Fire Department. His Tri-C class also took part in a live burn training exercise in the city.  “We know he’s a good... Read More

Creating Career Connections in IT

Sam Bregar solves computer problems around the world with knowledge he gained at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  A global company hired Bregar as a help desk analyst while the 23-year-old finished his studies at Tri-C. He’ll graduate this month with an Associate of Applied Science degree in electrical engineering and computer network hardware.  “Tri-C’s IT program gets you workforce-ready,” said Bregar, who lives in... Read More

Tri-C, DeVry University Announce Transfer Partnership

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and DeVry University are partnering to provide a seamless pathway that more easily allows Tri-C graduates to pursue a bachelor’s degree.  The partnership creates a next-step option for Tri-C students who earn an associate degree to continue their education and earn a bachelor’s degree in technical management or business at DeVry University, either online or at its Seven Hills location.  “We are... Read More

A Degree Built on Resiliency

Doubts crept into Janelle Cavin’s mind during her two years at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). She logged long hours studying and working with tutors, but her grades sometimes didn’t match the effort. Cavin never gave up, though. Her mentor at the College — Angela Roberson, director of the Eastern Campus enrollment center — refused to let her. “Whenever I had a problem or needed advice, she was there,” Cavin said.... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Corporate College East on Dec. 3

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Dec. 3, at Corporate College® East through a partnership between Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing will take place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. Corporate College East is located at 4400 Richmond Road in Warrensville Heights.  The program offers testing to individuals... Read More

Creating Connections

When he was 15, Dana Burtin’s mother gave him a journal and encouraged him to start writing down his thoughts. “Those paragraphs turned into poems. Those poems turned into lyrics,” Burtin said. “I write every day, all the time.” That initial journal opened roads for Burtin, a student at Cuyahoga Community College’s Metropolitan Campus. Those roads led him where he is today — connecting with others through his... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Esther Kraft

#TriCFamous is a bimonthly feature that introduces readers to the people who make the College work while providing a sneak peek into their lives off campus.  Esther Kraft is the program manager for Tri-C’s Hispanic Council. She and colleague Sylvia Royle form a small but mighty team providing advocacy and bilingual services for Hispanic students at the College. They also work with community organizations to connect Cleveland’s Hispanic residents with educational... Read More

COVID-19 Testing Dates Set at Tri-C Sites for Spring Semester

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing will be offered at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) from December through April as part of a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Free testing will take place Thursdays beginning Dec. 3 while rotating between four College sites. Testing begins at 11 a.m. each day and will be done on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals seeking tests must be in line by 2 p.m.  The testing service is available to area residents as... Read More

A Risk Worth Taking

What is it like to risk everything to start a new life in a new country?  Jenika Gonzales is part of a fast-growing number of Americans who can answer that question. Gonzales, a 2013 graduate of Cuyahoga Community College, came to the United States from the Philippines in 2006 — one of the estimated 1 million immigrants who arrive in the country annually.  Her mother, Belina Joacabine, immigrated to the United States in the late 1990s, living in Los Angeles... Read More

Tri-C Announces Essay Contest Focused on Racism and Solutions to the Issue

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is asking Northeast Ohio teens to weigh in on a question society often struggles to answer: What is racism, and what should we do about it?  An essay contest based upon that question opens today for high school students in a seven-county area. The contest is part of Tri-C’s Stand for Racial Justice, which seeks to advance racial equity and healing in the community.  The College’s Jack,... Read More

A Matter of Perspective

Racism. Prejudice. Privilege. Each of these words carries great meaning — though agreeing on that meaning can be difficult. Take prejudice, for example — one of several concepts that Cuyahoga Community College sociology professor Michael Flatt describes as “massively misunderstood.” “No one wants to be told that they’re prejudiced,” he said. “But in reality, ‘prejudice’ simply means... Read More

Newest ‘Tri-C Times’ Outlines College’s Work in a Difficult Year

Difficulties over the past year tested the resolve of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and Northeast Ohio. Uncertainties gripped the calendar seemingly from the first days of 2020 through every monthly flip.  It was, in the simplest of descriptions, a difficult time.  Yet difficulties create opportunities, and the work overcoming obstacles has made us stronger. The College will enter 2021 more determined than ever in its mission to help the community build... Read More

Encore Helps Older Adults Stay Connected

There are many benefits to continuing education for older adults, but right now it’s more important than ever.For more than eight months, many of Northeast Ohio’s seniors have kept their in-person social interaction to a minimum, knowing they are among the more vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 outbreak. But protecting their physical health has come at a mental and emotional cost, with hobbies put on hiatus and friendships limited to phone calls.To help these... Read More

AJC Cleveland Honors Tri-C President Alex Johnson

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Alex Johnson is being honored by AJC Cleveland (American Jewish Committee) for his service and commitment to Northeast Ohio.  The organization recently selected Johnson for the 2020 Richard H. Adler Community Leadership Award. The distinction is given to civic leaders who make an exceptional impact on the community and the lives of its residents.  Tom Adler, co-chair of the award reception named in his... Read More

Veterans Day Observance Receives Statewide Coverage

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has long shared a special relationship with veterans and active members of the military.The College serves as an important first step in the transition back to civilian life for many veterans, both in their academic studies and personal lives.Tri-C also works to preserve military history with the Crile Archive Center for History Education, located at the Western Campus in Parma. The campus was built on the former site of Crile General Hospital, a... Read More

Tri-C Metro Campus Hosts Four Days of COVID-19 Testing Week of Nov. 16

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered four days next week at the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Free testing will take place at the campus from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16; Wednesday, Nov. 18; Thursday, Nov. 19; and Friday, Nov. 20. The testing site will be located in the Lot 4 underground parking garage off of Community College Avenue.  The expanded... Read More

Tri-C Students Discuss 2020 Presidential Election With Peers in the Netherlands

The eyes of the world fell upon the United States as results trickled in during the 2020 presidential election. A digital media writing class at Cuyahoga Community College      (Tri-C®) knows this firsthand.  The Tri-C class watched the election unfold via video with students from Landstede MBO, a college 4,000 miles away in the Netherlands. The groups spent hours together hanging on updates and discussing results.  The experience capped... Read More

Tri-C an Example of Pathway Program Success

Even in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, when college enrollment is declining across the country and forcing administrators to make tough decisions, many community colleges are still opting to move forward with reforms aimed at expanding their guided pathway programs.It’s because pathway programs deliver results, positively impacting graduation rates by offering students the means to choose an area of study, plan their coursework and complete programs in a timely manner... Read More

Hip-Hop Hopes: Tri-C Student Launches Recording Studio

Hip-hop pulses on the streets of Cleveland. That made-in-The-Land sound will stream over headphones across the world if a Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) student has his way.  Simon Mastri opened Spin Cycle Records “to elevate and support the creative soul” of hip-hop and R&B in Cleveland. The full-service recording studio and early-career navigation hub is based in the city’s St. Clair Superior neighborhood.  Lessons learned... Read More

Tri-C Awarded $2.5 Million to Extend Science-Focused Scholar Program

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will continue building “bridges” to success for science scholars through a new $2.5 million award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Grant is designed to help community college students develop into future scientists. It is focused on increasing degree attainment for underrepresented groups in biomedical fields.  The program connects two-year... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Heather Young Mandujano

Heather Young Mandujano is an instructional technologist in the Center for Learning Excellence at Tri-C’s Eastern Campus. She helps faculty select and implement technology tools for their courses, and she collaborates with them to create instructional materials such as videos and interactive lessons. Check out Heather and her husband, Eduardo, on their YouTube channel, Flutey and the Beast, where they perform songs by Paula Abdul, Justin Timberlake and more … as flute... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Metro Campus Three Days a Week Beginning Nov. 16

Care Alliance Health Center will offer drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing three days a week through the end of the year at the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Free testing will take place on campus 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from Nov. 16 until Dec. 30 (except for Dec. 25). The testing site will be located in the Lot 4 underground parking garage off of Community College Avenue.  The service is available to... Read More

Tri-C Professor Recognized for Exceptional Work in Sports Writing

One of the nation’s top sports writers teaches his craft at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The Best American Sports Writing 2020 highlights a story by Tri-C English professor Andrew Pegman. The article, titled “Tying My Own,” originally appeared in American Angler magazine.  Pegman’s story was listed as a notable work by the annual publication, which showcases high-caliber writing that reflects the “pure... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Westshore Campus on Nov. 12

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing will take place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. Testing will rotate between Tri-C campuses every Thursday through Nov. 19.  The program offers testing to individuals regardless of their symptom... Read More

Tri-C Theater Instructor Building Arts Incubator in Cleveland

When deciding how to repurpose his father’s old corner store at E. 138th Street and Harvard Avenue in Cleveland, Jimmie Woody had numerous options.The Cuyahoga Community College theater instructor had been approached by liquor stores, cellphone outlets and beauty supply businesses over the years. But Woody, an accomplished actor and artist, had bigger plans for the property, located in the city’s Lee-Harvard neighborhood. He wanted to use it as a place to make art and... Read More

Event to Examine Race, Racism and Public Policy

Consider how government policies created and reinforced racial segregation in American during a virtual discussion hosted by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and its Stand for Racial Justice alliance.The free program — “The Color of Law: Race, Racism and Public Policy in America” — will take place via livestream from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20. The conversation will be led by historian and best-selling author Richard Rothstein.... Read More

Tri-C Student Honored in North American Art Competition

An award-winning ceramic piece created by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) student Faith Cogar stands 14 inches tall and measures 11 inches wide. Its meaning, however, is much larger.  The stoneware piece, titled “Panic Room,” represents the woes of self-doubt and anxiety. Cogar described it as “a visual representation of this state of mind we can trap ourselves in.”  Jurors awarded the piece third place in the 34th... Read More

Tri-C Receives National First-gen Forward Designation

First-generation college students enrolling at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) enter an environment designed to help them find academic success.  Tri-C has been honored as a 2020-2021 First-gen Forward Institution for its work with those taking their family’s first steps into higher education. The designation reflects the College’s commitment to improving experiences and advancing outcomes for first-generation students.  This is the second... Read More

Tri-C Veterans Day Observance Features College Employees Who Served

A handful of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) employees who served in the nation’s military will reflect on their years in uniform during a virtual Veterans Day observance.  A pre-recorded ceremony featuring interviews with five veterans who work at the College will be shared at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11. Visit tri-c.edu/veterans to view the presentation.  Each veteran talked about topics such as why they chose to enlist and what Veterans Day means... Read More

Olivia Rodriguez Finds Many Ways to Serve

Olivia Rodriguez has never taken the easy way out.  It’s why the 21-year-old Lakewood resident is now a Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) graduate and recipient of the 2020 Tri-C Student Veteran of the Year award.  After graduating from Lakewood High School three years ago, Rodriguez already had a plan for her future. She entered the U.S. Army Reserve, attending basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. After basic training, she had to pick an... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Western Campus on Nov. 5

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Western Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing will take place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. Testing will rotate between Tri-C campuses every Thursday through Nov. 19.  The program offers testing to individuals regardless of their symptom... Read More

COVID-19 Response: Tri-C Adjusts Academic Calendar

Given the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is adjusting its academic calendar and expanding remote services to limit potential exposure to the coronavirus among its students, faculty and staff.  “The Tri-C community has done an outstanding job following protocols to prevent the spread of the virus and keep our campuses safe,” Tri-C President Alex Johnson said. “These additional measures for fall and spring... Read More

Tri-C’s Autumn Blaze 5K Raises $6,000 for Community Agencies

Three clear winners emerged at the virtual Autumn Blaze 5K by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The race raised approximately $6,000 to benefit Greater Cleveland Community Shares, the United Negro College Fund and United Way of Greater Cleveland. The money will be split evenly among the agencies.  The Autumn Blaze is part of Tri-C’s annual giving campaign to benefit the community. This is the sixth year for the race, which has become an October... Read More

Special Delivery: Tri-C Culinary Students Make Meals for Medical Workers

A person can work up a hunger saving lives. That’s why culinary students from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) keep cooking for the frontline medical professionals at Lutheran Hospital.  The College’s banquet class recently made, packaged and dropped off 65 pints of carrot ginger soup at the West 25th Street hospital. The lip-smacking order also included dozens of miniature apple turnovers for dessert.  The Oct. 25 delivery followed a... Read More

Tri-C Suspends 2021 Spring Athletics Due to COVID-19

Due to COVID-19 uncertainties and surging case counts, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is suspending 2021 spring athletics to safeguard student-athletes, coaches and community spectators.  The decision follows recent record-high reports of coronavirus cases in Ohio and other states. Health officials expect the trend to continue in the coming months.  The risk of spreading COVID-19 during team activities is simply too great at this time. It would be challenging... Read More

Talking Turkey at the Tri-C Chefs’ Table

The recipe for cooking the perfect Thanksgiving turkey dinner begins with signing up for the first virtual Chefs’ Table class at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The culinary experience is being offered through Tri-C’s Corporate College® from its new state-of-the-art kitchen. Classes will be led by top Northeast Ohio chefs. Each session includes a pre-recorded demonstration followed by a live Q&A with the chef.  The debut... Read More

A Big Deal: Tri-C’s Tuition Falls Far Below National Average

Full-time students attending Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) pay more than $1,000 a year less in tuition and fees than the average student at a public two-year school in the United States.  A recent report by the College Board found the average sticker price at two-year schools to be $3,770 for full-time students. At Tri-C, a full-time student taking 12 credit hours for two semesters pays $2,748.96 — more than 27% less than the national... Read More

Tri-C’s Women in Transition Program Debuts in East Cleveland

The life-changing Women in Transition program offered by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is coming to East Cleveland to empower women in their pursuit of education, training and a career.  A free, six-week virtual program for city residents begins the first week of November. Interactive online sessions will take place from 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Participants build confidence and skills through classes on personal development and career exploration.... Read More

A Positive Image: Tri-C Honored for Marketing and PR Work

The story of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) gets told with award-winning excellence.  District 3 of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) recently awarded the College with six Medallion Awards, which recognize excellence in communications at two-year colleges. The district covers five Midwest states and the Canadian province of Ontario.  Tri-C’s Integrated Communications department took top honors in two categories:... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Eastern Campus on Oct. 29

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Eastern Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing will take place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. Testing will rotate between Tri-C campuses every Thursday through Nov. 19.  The program offers testing to individuals regardless of their symptom... Read More

Handshake Now Connects Tri-C Students to In-Demand Jobs

A new “Handshake” agreement connects Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) students to a growing career networking platform.  Tri-C is among more than 70 community colleges across the nation now working with Handshake. The company connects up-and-coming talent with nearly 500,000 employers, including every Fortune 500 company.  Handshake recently announced that it is now available to meet the job- and internship-search needs of approximately 6... Read More

GM Donates Diesel Trucks to Tri-C Auto Tech Training Program

General Motors recently donated $223,000 in diesel trucks for use as learning tools in the General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program (GM ASEP) at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).   The donation allows students to train on vehicles featuring the latest in diesel, electronic and safety technology. The College received three Chevrolet Silverados and two GMC Sierras.  “Hands-on training is the backbone of GM ASEP,” said... Read More

Tri-C Honors Former Highland Hills Mayor

The legacy of longtime Highland Hills Mayor Robert Nash now runs through the Eastern Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The inner loop road on campus has been named Robert Nash Drive in honor of the late mayor, who led the village from its formation in 1990 until his death in 2018. A dedication ceremony took place earlier in October.  Robert Nash Drive extends from Richmond Road on the east side of campus to where it meets Robert Bishop Drive on the... Read More

Grant Powers Expansion Plan for Tri-C’s Entrepreneurship Academy

The Entrepreneurship Academy at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) found an investor in the Burton D. Morgan Foundation.  The Foundation recently awarded a $33,260 grant to expand the academy, which is entering its second year of encouraging and developing entrepreneurial thinking among Cleveland high school students.  The academy is a joint project between Tri-C and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD). It provides a business education through... Read More

Alere Food Donations Receive Statewide Attention

Alere’s student staff has always made sure the meals they prepare find their way to empty stomachs. But the path is a bit different this semester, as the meals are routed to a ministry that feeds the area’s hungry.Spectrum News 1 recently highlighted the community efforts of the restaurant, located in Cuyahoga Community College’s Jerry Sue Thornton Center on E. 22nd Street in Cleveland.When COVID-19 closed Alere’s reservation book for fall semester, the... Read More

Make Dinner Plans: Tri-C Students Host Virtual Cooking Class

Culinary and event planning students from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will hold a virtual wine dinner cooking class in November that features the warming spices of autumn.  The free online event will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12. Work along with students as they prepare an entrée and dessert that pair perfectly with wine varietals selected by the award-winning Flight Cleveland wine shop.  Visit virtualwinedinner.eventbrite.com to... Read More

Talking Business at Tri-C’s Entrepreneur Expo

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will showcase innovative business ideas from students and alumni this month during its fifth annual Tri-C Entrepreneur Expo, which will be virtual this year due to the coronavirus.  The free event to spark business growth in the community will take place online from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Visit livestream.com/tri-c/expo to participate.  The featured speaker will be Tory Coats, winner of Cleveland’s... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Metro Campus on Oct. 22

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing will take place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. Testing will rotate between Tri-C campuses every Thursday through Nov. 19.  The program offers testing to individuals regardless of their... Read More

Tri-C’s 10KSB Executive Director to Speak at Female Entrepreneur Summit

Cleveland’s Female Entrepreneur Summit opens Oct. 28 with a simple-yet-powerful premise: Gather top professionals from within the region to help them connect, learn and grow their business.  No wonder why they invited Patrice Blakemore of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) to be a featured speaker at the virtual event.  Blakemore serves as executive director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) program at Tri-C, where she has advised... Read More

Tri-C Offers Free Screening of Award-Winning Film on Stuttering

Learn about the profound impact stuttering has on those affected by the condition during a free online screening of the award-winning documentary When I Stutter by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The College will make the documentary available for viewing between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. The free screening is in observance of International Stuttering Awareness Day.  Visit tri-c.edu/WhenIStutter on the day of the screening to view the film. When I... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Westshore Campus on Oct. 15

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing will take place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. Testing will rotate between Tri-C campuses every Thursday through Nov. 19.  The program offers testing to individuals regardless of their symptom... Read More

Tri-C President Alex Johnson on Transformative Leadership

To fully achieve continuous improvement, it must be woven into the fabric of an organization’s culture. But how do leaders achieve that level of integration and unify people with continuous-improvement processes? In his most recent column for Smart Business Cleveland, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Alex Johnson suggests that personalized and transformative leadership draws on three essential factors: education, experience and exposure. The message draws on... Read More

Tri-C Student Voter Campaign Gains National Media Mention

When it came time to pick a college leading the way on student voter participation, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) won in a landslide.  A column posted by Forbes featured efforts by Tri-C students to engage their peers in the voting process. The op-ed was penned by Clarissa Unger, director and co-founder of the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition.  Unger highlighted Tri-C as a campus partner “piloting and perfecting strategies that will lead to... Read More

Understanding Trans and Nonbinary Gender Identities

Learn more about trans and nonbinary gender identities and the rights gained by these communities during a virtual event hosted by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The free online program begins at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14. The discussion will be led by Eunice Avilés, a gender specialist and researcher who also is a licensed mental health counselor.  In 2015, Avilés founded Transcending Identities, an organization committed to improving... Read More

Starting a Business: A Tri-C Grad Shares His Story

An idea that started in a small-business management class at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) expects to begin welcoming customers soon.  Harry Quiñones plans to open a bodega on Cleveland’s west side to share his Hispanic heritage and pride with the community. A “Coming Soon” sign for the 787 Market now hangs in the window at 6105 Memphis Ave.  “The journey started in my Tri-C class,” said... Read More

Virtual Empowerment: Tri-C’s Black Diamonds Conference Moves Online

The Black Diamonds Women’s Conference at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will share its message of empowerment online this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  The free virtual conference will take place Oct. 15-17 with a series of five webinars. The event is designed to expand the readiness and participation of African American women in fields that traditionally have offered few opportunities.  Conference sessions over the three days will focus on... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Western Campus on Oct. 8

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Oct. 8, at the Western Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing will take place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. Testing will rotate between Tri-C campuses every Thursday through Nov. 19.  The program offers testing to individuals regardless of their symptom... Read More

Denise McCory Named Tri-C Metro Campus President

Denise McCory has been named president of the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), where she will build upon her life’s work guiding students toward academic success.  She enters the new position after two decades at Tri-C marked by increased leadership responsibilities, including the past 16 months as interim president of the campus.  “My focus has always been on building a can-do attitude on campus,” McCory... Read More

Tri-C Announces Changes to Fall Commencement Due to COVID-19

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will honor fall 2020 graduates with a virtual commencement ceremony given lingering uncertainties about large public gatherings due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  The celebration will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17. Spring 2020 graduates are also invited to take part in the virtual ceremony, which will feature the pomp and circumstance of the traditional in-person event.  Tri-C President Alex Johnson announced the change in... Read More

Megan O’Bryan: Recognition A Key Part of Philanthropy

Nonprofit organizations often rely heavily on philanthropic giving to sustain themselves and achieve their goals. Though one-off donations remain a critical funding source for any nonprofit, the bigger objective is to establish and maintain long-term relationships with donors who give on a regular basis, establishing a steady stream of incoming dollars.In a recent Cleveland Jewish News article, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) Foundation President Megan O’Bryan joined... Read More

Tri-C Wins National Award for STEM Education

The nursing program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has been named a winner of the Excellence and Equity in Community College STEM Award by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the Siemens Foundation.  Eight winning programs across the country are receiving this award, which recognizes: Outstanding preparation and training for high-demand jobs in advanced manufacturing, energy, health care or information technology Intentional outreach and support... Read More

Road to Success: Tri-C Auto Tech Student Honored

Austin Gatt enrolled in a specialized Automotive Technology program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) this semester to learn how to diagnose, service and maintain Ford Motor Co. vehicles.  If he has his way, future students may be doing the same with Gatt Motor Co. vehicles.  That’s a reach goal Gatt shared after being named September 2020 Continental Student of the Month. The award is presented by Tomorrow’s Technician magazine and... Read More

Tri-C Grad Discusses Path to Perseverance

Born with Klinefelter syndrome, Connor House faced a tougher road than many of his Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) classmates.  The rare genetic syndrome has numerous effects, but the one that impacts House the most is auditory processing disorder (APD), which can cause problems with information retention during long conversations or lectures.  Despite the challenges of APD, House maintained an excellent GPA at Tri-C, graduating in May with Associate of... Read More

Tri-C’s Student-Run Restaurant Donates Meals to Cleveland Hunger Center

The student-run restaurant at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) found  new clientele at the St. Malachi Parish hunger center after the COVID-19 outbreak closed its reservation book for fall.  Delicious dishes cooked in the Alere kitchen as part of an advanced culinary class are boxed and taken to St. Malachi’s Back Door Ministry twice a week. Twenty to 25 meals of “contemporary cuisine” are dropped off every Wednesday and... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Eastern Campus on Oct. 1

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Eastern Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing will take place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. Testing will rotate between Tri-C campuses every Thursday through Nov. 19.  The program offers testing to individuals regardless of their symptom... Read More

Tri-C’s Women in Transition Program Offers Online Fall Session

The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is launching a second fall session of online classes to empower women in their pursuit of education, training and a career.  The six-week program begins the first week of October. Interactive online sessions will take place from 10 a.m. to noon three days a week. One session runs Monday to Wednesday; the other runs Tuesday to Thursday. The noncredit program is free and open to the... Read More

Tri-C Building Projects Claim Awards of Excellence

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is reimagining its campuses in award-winning ways.  Two recent projects by the College — the rebuild of Metropolitan Campus Center and the construction of the Western Campus STEM Center — received a pair of 2020 Awards of Excellence from NAIOP Northern Ohio.  The annual awards program recognizes design and development successes across the region. NAIOP is also known as the Commercial Real Estate Development... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Sarah Baldwin

#TriCFamous is a bimonthly feature that introduces readers to the people who make the College work while providing a sneak peek into their lives off campus.  Sarah Baldwin is the recruitment specialist for Tri-C’s Hospitality Management Center of Excellence. As the self-described “Get-you-in-the-door Lady,” she speaks about the College’s hospitality programs to various audiences and guides prospective students through the enrollment... Read More

Tri-C Community Champion: Strassman Insurance Services

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) recently honored Strassman Insurance Services with a Community Champion Award for its support of Tri-C JazzFest and creative arts students pursuing their dreams.  The Richmond Heights company has been a benefactor of Tri-C JazzFest for more than a decade, including this year when the COVID-19 outbreak pushed the festival into a virtual format. Its donations have brought free music to the ears of tens of thousands of people over the... Read More

Get Fired Up for Tri-C’s Virtual Autumn Blaze 5K

Dash through the fall colors while doing some good this October during the virtual Autumn Blaze 5K by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Proceeds from the virtual race benefit Greater Cleveland Community Shares, the United Negro College Fund and United Way of Greater Cleveland. Tri-C launched the event in 2015 as part of its annual giving campaign to benefit the community.  Last year’s race raised more than $9,000 for the nonprofit agencies while... Read More

COVID-19 Testing at Metro Campus on Sept. 24

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing will take place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents. Testing will rotate between Tri-C campuses every Thursday through Nov. 19.  The program offers testing to individuals regardless of their... Read More

Tri-C Community Champion: Gregory Jones

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) recently honored Gregory Jones with a Community Champion Award for his guidance of foster youth transitioning out of the system and into adult life.  Jones serves as a program officer with the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services. He works on a daily basis to offer stability and support to young adults who have aged out of the foster system.  In this role, Jones built a partnership with Tri-C to help connect... Read More

Tri-C Community Champion: KeyBank

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) recently honored KeyBank with a Community Champion Award for its longstanding support preparing Tri-C students “for thriving futures.”  The financial services company and the KeyBank Foundation have contributed more than $5.6 million to the College since 1993. KeyBank has partnered with Tri-C on a variety of programs and initiatives benefiting students and the community.  Examples include: A $1.4 million... Read More

Tri-C Announces 2020 Alumni Award Recipients

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) today awarded Alumni Awards to Harold Anderson, Jamal Julia Boudiab and Lawrence Heller for their contributions to the community after graduating from Tri-C.  Tri-C established the awards to recognize alumni for their professional accomplishments and service to Northeast Ohio and the College. Honorees were selected from community nominations.  Anderson received the Distinguished Alumni Award, designated for those who earned... Read More

Tri-C Grad Enters Spotlight With Wedding Gift

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) alumna Melanie Tapajna and her husband didn’t jet off on a honeymoon after saying “I do” during the COVID-19 outbreak, but the story of their wedding traveled the world.  Tapajna and her husband, Tyler, generated international headlines after donating food from their canceled wedding reception to a Cleveland crisis center. The couple even helped serve the meals while dressed in their wedding... Read More

Tri-C Distributes Care Kits to ‘Stomp Out COVID-19’

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) this week began distributing care kits to students and employees to help them safely return to campus in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.  The “Stomp Out COVID-19” drawstring bags include a face mask featuring the College’s triceratops mascot, Stomp, as well as a bottle of hand sanitizer, a contactless key and daily health assessment cards.  The 20,000 care kits will primarily be distributed from... Read More

Online Workforce Training Course Offered Through Tri-C Access Centers

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is offering a free online Workforce Success course this fall to expand community access to education and job training during the COVID-19 outbreak.  The course is designed to sharpen skills necessary to succeed in the workplace while providing an introduction to the College and its resources. It is part of the ongoing Tri-C Access Center initiative. The session begins Oct. 19. Participants will: Earn college credit Identify and boost... Read More

Tri-C Hosts ‘Triceratops Tuesday’ Enrollment Event

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will extend hours during a special enrollment event Oct. 13 to help students register for an upcoming eight-week session of fall classes.  Triceratops Tuesday will take place from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. that day at five College sites. The sessions offer opportunities to meet with academic counselors and visit enrollment and financial aid offices to solidify a class schedule. Campus bookstores also will be open.  Fall... Read More

Reparations: A Necessary Step Toward Racial Reconciliation?

Consider how reparations could promote racial reconciliation, healing and justice in the United States during an upcoming virtual program hosted by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The free online program — “Reparations: A Political, Social and Moral Intervention” — begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30. It is part of a celebration marking the 10th anniversary of Tri-C’s Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies... Read More

Director of Tri-C Court Reporting Program Selected for National Board

The inaugural board of directors for the Speech-to-Text Institute (STTI) includes Kelly Moranz, director of the Captioning and Court Reporting program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Moranz is one of 11 industry leaders selected to guide the emerging nonprofit organization, which seeks to unify and bring collaboration and increased standards to court reporting as new technology emerges.  The board brings together professionals “who have embraced... Read More

Community Colleges Could Be a “Perfect Option”

For many students, starting college is a daunting task — especially at a four-year school. Almost immediately, you are thrust into a new community with unfamiliar faces, new living arrangements, challenging classes and dozens of possible extracurricular activities, all while worrying about mounting tuition costs and the student loan debt that often comes with it.For those reasons and others, many students opt instead to begin their education at a community college, which offers many... Read More

Tri-C Opens Community Conversation Exploring Racial Justice

Stand for Racial Justice at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) debuts next week with a discussion featuring Tim Wise, one of America’s leading writers and educators on race and racism.  The conversation with Wise begins at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16. He will be joined by a panel of local business leaders, who will discuss how their organizations promote equity in hiring, services and the community.  The free virtual event launches Tri-C’s... Read More

Author and Tri-C Grad Highlighted in “Pretty Women Hustle”

As a child, Denise Monique loved to read just about anything. It began a lifelong interest in the written word."I loved the places a writer's imagination could take me," she said in a recent interview with Pretty Women Hustle magazine.Monique is a licensed social worker who graduated in 2009 from Cuyahoga Community College, where she earned an associate degree in human services. She went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in social work from Cleveland State University and is in the... Read More

A Conversation With Honest Abe: Tri-C Brings History to Life

Take a virtual trip back in time for a conversation with U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in a “Learning for Life” online program presented by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) at Westshore Campus.  Tri-C history professor Rania Assily will interview Lincoln — played by historical actor John Cooper — to learn how he addressed the turbulent times of his era and apply those lessons to current events.  The free hourlong program... Read More

Proven Winner: Tri-C Horticulture Student Wins Another Scholarship

Scholarship dollars keep growing for Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) horticulture student Layla Lang.  The Proven Winners plant company awarded Lang a $2,000 scholarship to continue her studies in the College’s Plant Science and Landscape Technology program at Eastern Campus. Honorees included only three students from two-year programs in North America.  This is Lang’s second national scholarship this year. Earlier this summer, the Tree... Read More

The Illuminating Company Hires Graduates of Power Systems Institute at Tri-C

The Illuminating Company has hired 23 graduates of the company’s utility worker training program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance service reliability for Northeast Ohio customers.   The new line and substation workers represent the fourth graduating class since the company reinstituted the Power Systems Institute (PSI) training program at Tri-C in 2014. The program is a partnership between the College and... Read More

Top Scholars: Tri-C Awards Hispanic Students $75,000 in Scholarships

High-achieving Hispanic students at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) have been awarded $75,000 in scholarships to continue working toward associate degrees and workforce certificates.  More than 100 names fill the list of recipients. The scholarship program is run in cooperation with Tri-C’s Hispanic Council, which formed in 1993 to introduce Hispanic students to the resources they need to succeed.  “This has been a challenging year due to... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Aaron Milenski

#TriCFamous is a bimonthly feature that introduces readers to the people who make the College work while providing a sneak peek into their lives off campus.  Aaron Milenski is a research analyst in the Office of Evidence and Inquiry at Tri-C’s District Office. For the past 19 years, he has provided College data for use by faculty, staff, students and various government agencies. But that’s just his day job. Discover Aaron’s true legacy and his idea of a... Read More

Cleveland Arts Prize Honors Tri-C President Emeritus Jerry Sue Thornton

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Emeritus Jerry Sue Thornton is being honored by the Cleveland Arts Prize for her efforts to advance the creative arts in Northeast Ohio. The organization announced Thornton as the 2020 recipient of it Barbara S. Robinson Prize. The award recognizes leaders who advance the arts through public policy, according to a story posted on cleveland.com.  Thornton served as Tri-C’s president from 1992 to 2013. Her legacy in... Read More

Tri-C: Innovating to Improve Access to Higher Education

The League for Innovation in the Community College is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to catalyzing the community college movement. To share best practices, it often asks community college leaders to offer examples from their institutions.  The organization recently published an essay from JaNice Marshall, vice president of access and community connections at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), about how Tri-C Access Centers are opening doors to... Read More

NorthCoast 99: Tri-C Recognized as a Top Workplace for 14th Time

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is proud to be recognized by ERC as one of Northeast Ohio’s 99 best places to work. This is the 14th time the College has received the NorthCoast 99 award.  The honor reflects the commitment and pride that Tri-C employees bring to their jobs, said Lillian Welch, the College’s vice president of human resources. Those strengths helped the College navigate the coronavirus crisis.  “Our employees met... Read More

Tri-C Honored with 2020 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) today received a 2020 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.  The national honor recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. This is the seventh consecutive year Tri-C has been named a HEED Award recipient.  “The current... Read More

Tri-C, Cuyahoga County Partner on Countywide Police Training Course

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is partnering with Cuyahoga County to provide countywide police officer training with an emphasis on de-escalation techniques; understanding law enforcement’s role in mass gatherings and protests; mitigating bias in police work; and building trust within the community.  Cuyahoga County has committed $250,000 to Tri-C to provide five virtual and 25 in-person, scenario-based training sessions for 2,500 sworn police officers within... Read More

Tri-C Selected for Lead Role in National Student Voter Campaign

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has taken a national role in building and implementing voter registration programs at campuses to involve more students in the political process.  Tri-C is among 31 colleges and universities selected as codesigners for “Ask Every Student,” a project of the National Resource Consortium on Full Student Voter Participation. Tri-C is the only Ohio school — and one of two community colleges — on the... Read More

Tri-C’s COVID-19 Response Plan Featured by Ohio Gov. DeWine

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) was highlighted Aug. 27 as Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine talked with higher education leaders about efforts to continue teaching and training students while taking precautions due to COVID-19.  Tri-C President Alex Johnson shared the College’s fall semester reopening plans during the governor’s press briefing on the coronavirus and the state’s ongoing response to the pandemic. Classes at Tri-C began... Read More

Tri-C JazzFest: Virtually Unforgettable in 2020

On an improvisational stage, jazz musicians embrace the moment. The artistry that follows is unscripted, unpredictable and unlike anything an audience has previously experienced.  That’s probably the best way to describe the virtual edition of the 41st annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank.  Six hours of music, artist interviews and jazz talk flowed over online platforms Aug. 21-23 as the festival shifted from an in-person event to an... Read More

Community Colleges Essential to Ohio’s Economic Recovery

Six months ago, Ohio was helping to power a strong economy. Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived on our doorstep in mid-March, and everything ground to a halt in a matter of weeks. Seemingly overnight, Ohio was thrust into the middle of an economic crisis. And education is going to be a key factor in finding our way out. Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is among the institutions that will continue to be on the front lines of the state’s economic rebound from COVID-19,... Read More

Oh Happy Day: Tri-C, Cleveland Orchestra Choral Groups Come Together

A community that sings together stays together. That simple belief inspired a project that unified choral groups from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and The Cleveland Orchestra this summer.  Students in Tri-C’s Vocal Arts Mastery program joined with members of The Cleveland Orchestra’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Chorus in a virtual performance of the gospel favorite “Oh Happy Day.” The resulting video unites more than 50... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Sonja Elekhtaby

Sonja Elekhtaby is the adjunct services manager at Tri-C’s Eastern Campus. She joined the College in 2010 as administrative secretary for the Creative Arts department, which — given her childhood stint as an aspiring violinist — seems perfectly appropriate. Read on to learn more about Sonja and her somewhat exotic taste in pets.  Tell us a funny story from your youth. Everybody was in the band or took some sort of music lessons in elementary school.... Read More

Tri-C Hosts ‘Triceratops Thursday’ Enrollment Event on Sept. 3

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will extend hours during a special enrollment event Sept. 3 to help students register for fall classes and apply for financial aid.  Triceratops Thursday will take place from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. that day at five College sites. The sessions offer opportunities to meet with academic counselors and visit enrollment and financial aid offices to solidify a class schedule for fall semester.  Participating locations... Read More

Tri-C Film Academy’s ‘The Simple Path’ Gains Laurels

A short film created by the Film Academy at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has been screened by more than two dozen film festivals across the United States and beyond.  Twenty-six festival laurels now fill the poster for The Simple Path, which was shot as part of a five-week intensive film crew training program at Tri-C. The film also claimed a handful of festival awards and nominations.  The Simple Path follows the decision-making of Nevaeh, an elder care... Read More

Tri-C Awarded Federal Grant to Train Veterans for Truck-Driving Jobs

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is among 20 technical and community colleges across the country awarded federal dollars to train veterans or their spouses for jobs as commercial bus and truck drivers.  The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced the grant this week. Tri-C is set to receive $96,815.  The funding is provided through FMCSA’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety... Read More

COVID-19 Testing Dates Set at Tri-C Campuses

Drive-thru and walk-up COVID-19 testing will be offered more than a dozen times at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) campuses during fall semester through a partnership with Care Alliance Health Center.  Testing will take place every Thursday beginning Aug. 27 while rotating between the College’s four campuses. It is available to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as community residents.  The program offers testing to individuals regardless of... Read More

Saluting Police: Tri-C Student Honors North Royalton Officers

There’s a simple reason why North Royalton police needed to talk to Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) student Leo Negomedzyanov: They wanted to say “thank you” for his recent gift.  Negomedzyanov gave the department a wooden wall hanging crafted to look like a “thin blue line” American flag that honors law enforcement officers. His creation now hangs in the department’s roll call room.  The computer... Read More

Tri-C Recognized for Supporting National Guard and Reserve Service Members

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is being honored for “providing extraordinary patriotic support and cooperation” to staff members serving in the U.S. National Guard and Reserve.  Tri-C has been selected to receive an Above and Beyond Award from Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), according to a recent letter from Rufus J.Smith, chair of Ohio’s ESGR Committee.  The recognition followed a nomination from Peter... Read More

Using Sociology to Examine Issues Behind Today’s Social Tensions

Prejudice. Discrimination. White privilege. The terms come up frequently these days in what can easily turn into emotionally charged discussions revolving around the topic of social justice.  So how can one start a productive conversation on the issue? For ideas, We The People on WKYC/Channel 3 turned to Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) sociology instructors Michael Flatt and Monica Starks.  The two spoke with WKYC’s Alexa Lee during the Aug. 14... Read More

Royalty: Tri-C Student Wins Music Video Award

An aspiring rapper and music producer studying at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) won the Best Music Video Award at the fifth annual Miami 4 Social Change Youth Film Festival.  Dana Burtin — who performs under the name LyricalGenes — claimed the honor for the video created for his song “Royalty.” The video was filmed at Metropolitan Campus in Cleveland and includes an appearance from Tri-C’s triceratops mascot,... Read More

Starting a New School Year Amid COVID-19

This month marks the beginning of an academic year unlike any we’ve ever experienced.  From primary schools through colleges and universities, educators are weighing the risks and benefits of a wide variety of options as they consider the best way to proceed with instruction during the COVID-19 crisis.  Like many academic institutions, Cuyahoga Community College is planning to move to a hybrid of online and classroom learning for fall semester after operating... Read More

Tri-C, Lakeland, LCCC and Stark State: Here, Together, for You

Cuyahoga Community College, Lakeland Community College, Lorain County Community College and Stark State College frequently collaborate in Northeast Ohio, including occasionally partnering to promote community colleges as a whole. The following is an article the presidents of the four colleges submitted to media outlets to highlight the value of a community college education.  When times get tough, people look to community colleges to... Read More

Christian McBride, John Clayton Highlight Virtual Tri-C JazzFest

Two of the jazz world’s preeminent bassists — Christian McBride and John Clayton — will share stories via live chats during the virtual edition of the 41st annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank.  Each Grammy Award winner highlights a night of music during the three-day online event Friday, Aug. 21, to Sunday, Aug. 23. Listen for McBride on the festival’s first day; Clayton is set to call in Saturday, Aug. 22.  The... Read More

Record Number of Scholars Selected for Tri-C Honors Program Fellowships

Fifty-four top high school graduates have been selected for a Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) Honors Program Fellowship, which offers scholarships to cover tuition, fees and books as the students work toward an associate degree.  The College’s seventh fellowship class features students with at least a 3.5 GPA and outstanding ACT/SAT scores. By entering the scholarship program, they commit to being full-time students, maintaining a high GPA and earning... Read More

Tri-C Partners With Care Alliance to Provide COVID-19 Testing

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and Care Alliance Health Center are joining to bring COVID-19 testing to Tri-C students, faculty and staff, as well as residents of the surrounding community.  The program offers testing to individuals regardless of their symptom status, insurance status or ability to pay. Individuals will not be charged for the test.  Drive-thru and walk-up testing dates will be offered at four Tri-C sites — Eastern Campus in... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Becky Wiggins

Becky Wiggins manages Tri-C’s new online Associate of Arts program. In her eight years at the College, she has worked for Finance and Business Services and the Eastern Campus President’s Office, as well as in curriculum development. A calm and orderly person on the outside, Becky’s taste for adventure might come as a surprise to some of her coworkers. Read on to learn about the trip that whet her appetite for exploration — both with and without her... Read More

Extra! Extra! Tri-C Students Win Journalism Awards

Two writers from The Voice student newspaper at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) recently received 2020 Excellence in Journalism Awards from The Press Club of Cleveland.  Diamond Hunt claimed second place for best print newspaper story by a student at a two-year school. Her article examined the topic of weapons on college campuses.  Justyn Spanski took third place for best print sports story by a student at a two-year school. He was honored for an article... Read More

Tri-C Leads Effort to Train Job Seekers for Employment at Hospitals

In Northeast Ohio, hospitals are looking for skilled workers and residents are seeking jobs. Addressing both of those needs is the mission of the new Workforce Connect Healthcare Sector Partnership.  Spectrum News 1 recently aired a segment focused on the partnership. Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will take a lead role as the health care sector intermediary.  The College recently named Susan Krejci as executive director of the partnership. She told Spectrum... Read More

Auto Dealerships Deliver for GM ASEP Program at Tri-C

Two Northeast Ohio auto dealerships helped deliver a big gift to students in the General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program (GM ASEP) program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Chevrolet dealerships with Serpentini Auto Group and Ganley Auto Group covered a $900 towing bill to bring a 2018 Chevy Traverse to Tri-C’s Advanced Automotive Technology Center at Western Campus. The SUV — donated to the College by GM — was in... Read More

Spectrum News 1 Highlights ‘Super Saturday’ Enrollment Events at Tri-C

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has a “super” idea to help students enroll for fall semester, according to Spectrum News 1.  The College is hosting a series of Super Saturday enrollment events at five sites to help students register for classes and apply for financial aid. The events will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 22 and Aug. 29.  Rodneya Ross of Spectrum News 1 recently reported on the sessions, where students can meet with... Read More

Tri-C Offers Safer, Less Expensive Education Option

August is an important month for many colleges and universities, as students decide how to proceed with their education during the COVID-19 pandemic.With weekly reports of new cases remaining relatively high in Cuyahoga County — 717 in the final week of July, according to the Board of Health — many students may turn to Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).A Cleveland 19 News article posted Wednesday notes that, though Tri-C hasn’t yet seen a fall... Read More

Award-Winning Podcast Traces Roots to Tri-C

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) gave Debra Gipson the voice to share what can now be called her award-winning story.  Gipson recently received a 2020 Communicator Award of Distinction from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts for an episode of her “Dear Michelle” podcast. The international awards program is one of the largest in the communications profession.  Screenwriting courses from Tri-C powered the work that led to the honor,... Read More

Tri-C Boasts Innovative Response to Online Learning

No organization can be completely prepared for a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. But Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) acted as quickly as possible when the pandemic arrived in March, and the College’s actions have kept thousands of students on the path to graduation.In a recent article, Cleveland Magazine highlighted Tri-C’s efforts, including doubling the number of online classes in a matter of weeks, investing in IT infrastructure, and partnering with... Read More

Tri-C JazzFest Adds Third Day to Virtual Festival

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has added a third day of music to the virtual edition of the 41st annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank.  Livestreamed performances will now flow online Friday, Aug. 21, through Sunday, Aug. 23. The free virtual festival will begin at 7 p.m. each night and run approximately 90 minutes on various online platforms.  The College has been pre-recording performances from some of Northeast Ohio’s top jazz... Read More

Tri-C Dual Enrollment Numbers Continue to Rise

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, dual enrollment programs had become increasingly popular among high school students looking to earn college credits prior to graduation. But the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic has turned dual enrollment into a safeguard.A recent article on Community College Daily notes that high school students are utilizing dual enrollment programs to continue advancing their education as some high schools debate whether or not to reopen for fall classes.Dual... Read More

Tri-C’s William Gary Reappointed to Workforce Development Board

The executive vice president of the Workforce, Community and Economic Development division of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has been reappointed to The Cleveland/Cuyahoga County Workforce Development Board.  William Gary’s new three-year term will extend through June 30, 2023. The board advises the County’s Department of Workforce Development, which offers programs and services to help residents secure employment and financial... Read More

Board Student Scholar Embraces New Challenges

Five years ago, Aba Paintsil was working in furniture sales in South Africa. And she was good at it.“I was the first Black female to earn my company more than $1 million in sales revenue,” she said.The Ghanaian native had moved to South Africa in 2000, earned a degree from Durban University of Technology and was active in her church and community, on top of her successful sales career. Yet, in January 2017, she gave it all up to move to the United States, settle... Read More

Tri-C Names Executive Director to Guide Workforce Connect Healthcare Sector Partnership

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) today announced that Susan Krejci will lead the Workforce Connect Healthcare Sector Partnership as executive director effective Aug. 3.  Krejci and Tri-C will work closely with hospital systems in Cuyahoga County to create a robust talent pipeline while also ensuring that job seekers have clearly defined career pathways with family-sustaining wages.  The initial group of hospitals includes Cleveland Clinic, The MetroHealth... Read More

Women in Transition Alum Encourages Others to 'Take the Leap' and Enroll

The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) gave Traci Dickerson the courage to return to school more than two decades after she last set foot in a classroom.  After completing the program, she enrolled in Tri-C’s culinary program this year to explore a new career path. Spring semester ended with her name on the Dean’s List.  Dickerson recently shared her story with Spectrum News as Rodneya Ross reported on the... Read More

Help Tri-C Students and ‘Chase the Flavor’ With Chef Douglas Katz

Chef Douglas Katz wants to help you make Sunday dinner during the “Chase the Flavor” virtual cooking experience benefiting hospitality management students at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Work along with one of Cleveland’s top culinary talents during the online event at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2. The live demonstration will stream via Zoom.  Registered participants will receive an email with an ingredient list on Thursday, July... Read More

Tri-C’s David Mastny on Cyberattacks During COVID-19

By now, virtually everyone is aware of the threat posed by COVID-19. But along with it has come an increased threat from other types of viruses — ones that can destroy an organization’s entire IT system.Safe distancing measures have forced millions of employees across the country to work from home for more than four months. With face-to-face contact either strongly discouraged or impossible, thousands of companies are now entirely reliant on technology to continue... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Alan Gerding

Alan Gerding has been involved with the College in one way or another for most of his life. As a child, he attended preschool at Tri-C and often accompanied his mother, a biology professor, to her classroom at Western Campus. At age 15, he was hired as a lifeguard — a job he worked for five years while completing his own associate degree. Today, Alan is an assistant professor of psychology at Tri-C’s Metropolitan Campus.  Tell us about one of your hobbies. My... Read More

Essential Alumni: Danielle Shook

The COVID-19 battle has sent thousands of Americans to the front lines armed with medicine, supplies and, above all, compassion.Known as “essential workers,” their importance extends far beyond any crisis. They are the people who form the foundation of our society, every day of every year.This is part of a series highlighting five Cuyahoga Community College alumni working in essential fields, looking at the ways in which they provide necessary services and support... Read More

Essential Alumni: Andrew McBride

The COVID-19 battle has sent thousands of Americans to the front lines armed with medicine, supplies and, above all, compassion.Known as “essential workers,” their importance extends far beyond any crisis. They are the people who form the foundation of our society, every day of every year.This is part of a series highlighting five Cuyahoga Community College alumni working in essential fields, looking at the ways in which they provide necessary services and support... Read More

Essential Alumni: Charles Hubbard

The COVID-19 battle has sent thousands of Americans to the front lines armed with medicine, supplies and, above all, compassion.Known as “essential workers,” their importance extends far beyond any crisis. They are the people who form the foundation of our society, every day of every year.This is part of a series highlighting five Cuyahoga Community College alumni working in essential fields, looking at the ways in which they provide necessary services and support... Read More

Essential Alumni: Cherelda Bell

The COVID-19 battle has sent thousands of Americans to the front lines armed with medicine, supplies and, above all, compassion.Known as “essential workers,” their importance extends far beyond any crisis. They are the people who form the foundation of our society, every day of every year.This is part of a series highlighting five Cuyahoga Community College alumni working in essential fields, looking at the ways in which they provide necessary services and support... Read More

Legal Eagles Learn to Fly at Tri-C

Pre-law. Law school.They’re terms that evoke images of old schools with venerable names. Libraries with tall windows and large wooden tables. Shelves with books full of precedent-setting cases and centuries of legal theory.But if that’s your sole view of a modern law education, you should take another look. Many students are discovering unconventional ways to pave their path to law school. The Paralegal Studies program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is one... Read More

Essential Alumni: Michael Conley

The COVID-19 battle has sent thousands of Americans to the front lines armed with medicine, supplies and, above all, compassion.Known as “essential workers,” their importance extends far beyond any crisis. They are the people who form the foundation of our society, every day of every year.This is part of a series highlighting five Cuyahoga Community College alumni working in essential fields, looking at the ways in which they provide necessary services and support... Read More

Choose Ohio First Scholarship Recipients ‘Motor’ Toward Degrees at Tri-C

The Choose Ohio First scholarship program put students on the road to success in the Automotive Technology program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Fifteen Choose Ohio First scholarship recipients graduated from Tri-C’s auto tech program in May, according to a story in the summer edition of ConnectED. The publication is produced by the Ohio Department of Higher Education.  The story highlighted Tri-C students who trained in either the General... Read More

Tri-C President Alex Johnson Selected for National Panel

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Alex Johnson has been selected to serve on an independent panel evaluating career and technical education (CTE) programs across the country.  The 16-member panel will advise the U.S. Secretary of Education and prepare a report to present to Congress in July 2023. The first meetings will take place this month.  Group members bring expertise in education and workforce development policy. The panel includes researchers,... Read More

Proposal Calls for Tri-C to Lead Countywide Police Training Program

A training proposal focused on de-escalation techniques, bias-free policing and building community trust could soon bring thousands of Cuyahoga County law enforcement officers to Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  Preliminary plans for the training were presented this week to the Cuyahoga County Council’s Public Safety Committee. County Councilman Michael Gallagher initiated conversations with Tri-C about the project.  The idea is for the county to... Read More

Eight Tri-C Track Team Members Honored for Academic Achievement

Eight members of the women’s indoor track team at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) earned Academic All-American honors from the NJCAA Track and Field Coaches Association for spring semester.  As a team, the Triceratops posted a 3.695 GPA — the fifth highest in the nation. This is the fourth time in the past five years that the team finished with a Top 5 academic ranking.  Classroom standouts included: Samantha Agresta of Middleburg... Read More

Tri-C Receives Additional CARES Act Funding for COVID-19 Response

Additional funding provided through the federal CARES Act will help Ohio colleges and universities — including Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) — cover increased costs linked to the COVID-19 response.  The Ohio Controlling Board voted July 13 to distribute roughly $200 million to higher education institutions, according to a story posted by ideastream that aired on WCPN 90.3 FM.  Funding headed to Tri-C will go toward expanding contact... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Ashley Speaker

Ashley Speaker is coordinator of open enrollment programs at Tri-C’s Corporate College®. Her responsibilities include supporting the Encore 55+ Learning program for older adults, for which she has also served as an instructor. One of her courses, “Victorian Troublemakers,” was about women reformers. Read on to find out what else this self-proclaimed “history nerd” is into.  What’s your favorite international... Read More

Tri-C Humanities Dean Voted Into Regional Leadership Role

Matthew Jordan of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has been voted president-elect of the Mid-East Honors Association (MEHA), which represents honors programs at college and universities in a six-state region.  MEHA works to create an intellectual, programmatic and administrative network of resources aimed at helping the region’s honors programs grow and thrive. It is a subgroup of the National Collegiate Honors Council.  Jordan serves as dean and... Read More

Tri-C’s Corporate College: Leading Conversations on Diversity and Inclusion

There’s a racial awakening underway across America, and it is being felt in the workplace.  Recent events have prompted many companies to hold open discussions with employees on issues such as diversity and inclusion, according to Rafaela Reyes of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).  The phone has been “ringing off the hook” at Tri-C’s Corporate College® to schedule training sessions on the topics, Reyes said. She... Read More

Could Donors Fuel a ‘Golden Hour’ at Community Colleges?

Donors are showing growing interest in supporting the mission of community colleges ­— and Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) serves as a prime example, according to Philanthropy magazine. A story in the magazine’s summer edition notes that donors see great value in the workforce training efforts of schools like Tri-C. These programs seem even more critical as the nation recovers from the economic disruption caused by COVID-19. “By rapidly... Read More

Tri-C’s Women in Transition Program Offers Online Fall Sessions

The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is launching a fall session of online classes to empower women in their pursuit of education, training and a career.  The six-week program begins the first week of August. Interactive online sessions will take place from 10 a.m. to noon three days a week. One session runs Monday to Wednesday; the other runs Tuesday to Thursday. The noncredit program is free and open to the public.  Participants... Read More

Tri-C Hosting ‘Super Saturday’ Enrollment Events

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will host a series of Super Saturday enrollment events at five sites this summer to help students register for classes and apply for financial aid.  The Super Saturday events will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on three dates — July 25, Aug. 22 and Aug. 29. The sessions offer opportunities to meet with academic counselors and visit enrollment and financial aid offices to solidify a class schedule for fall... Read More

The State of Higher Ed: Roadmap to Reopening

Difficult questions define the college experience. This fall, however, many of the toughest problems must be answered before classes start … and it’s not the students being tested.  The COVID-19 outbreak continues to challenge higher education leaders across the nation as they prepare to open campuses in August. It’s a complex matter rooted in health, safety, equity, access, affordability and logistics.  The Atlantic will host a webinar... Read More

High Scores: Tri-C Student-Athletes Earn All-Academic Honors

Forty-eight student-athletes at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) received All-Academic recognition from the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference for their classroom success during spring semester.  To gain All-Academic status, students needed at least a 3.3 GPA. Tri-C led the conference in honorees. The following Triceratops, listed by team, were recognized (* indicates a 4.0 GPA):  Baseball: *Kimani Bailey of Ontario, Canada; *Jared Burick of Tallmadge;... Read More

Tri-C Encore 55+ Learning Opens Registration for New Set of Online Courses

Encore 55+ Learning at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is opening a new session of online courses as the College works to maintain community programs while adapting to challenges created by the COVID-19 outbreak.  Encore On-the-Go features virtual sessions twice a week to enrich the minds and lives of those aged 55 and older. Fall session begins Aug. 4, with a different set of four-week courses each month through November.  The 50-minute classes meet once a... Read More

Tri-C Offers Tuition Reduction to Former College Credit Plus Students

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has a message for recent high school graduates who attended Tri-C through College Credit Plus: Come back this fall and save.  Former College Credit Plus students can receive up to a 10% tuition waiver if they continue their studies at Tri-C. For a full-time student taking 15 credit hours this fall, the rollback would save $171.75 during the upcoming semester.  The discount reduces what is already the lowest tuition in the state... Read More

Tri-C Summer Camps Adjust to Virtual World

The safe distancing guidelines necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic created hurdles in some of the most unlikely places.For instance, how do you hold a ballet class in which the instructor and every student is in a separate location? It’s easy to visualize how you might hold an online lecture in math or English, but how do you accurately teach the movement and rhythm of dance via streaming video?Summer camps and programs at Cuyahoga Community College and other educational... Read More

Community Colleges: A Smart Financial Decision

In March, the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered colleges and universities across the nation, forcing millions of students to head home until further notice.Though many schools — including Cuyahoga Community College — are reopening for in-person classes on a limited basis this fall, online platforms will still serve as the primary delivery method for the rest of this year, and possibly into 2021.As homes continue to serve as temporary classrooms, many students are turning to... Read More

Tri-C Nursing Dean Profiled by ‘Phenomenal Woman Magazine’

A single purpose drove Wendy Batch-Wilson to enter the field of nursing: She wanted to help people when they needed it most. Now, as dean of nursing at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), she’s helping a new generation of nurses develop the skills needed to provide care for Northeast Ohio residents long into the future. Her journey from caregiver to educator of caregivers was highlighted by Phenomenal Woman Magazine. The publication featured Batch-Wilson in the cover... Read More

Remote Possibilities: The COVID Transition to Online Learning

It was March 3 when Tom Kemp first saw the storm clouds gathering. And they were gathering in a hurry."I was starting to see things about the COVID-19 pandemic in the communications I read daily,” said Kemp, executive director of Cuyahoga Community College’s Online Learning and Academic Technology (OLAT) department. “People I knew in the industry were starting to ask each other ‘What would you do if you had to move instruction online?'"On March 11, the... Read More

Bridging the Digital Divide

Aba Paintsil’s days typically revolved around the schedule at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). She arrived when Eastern Campus opened to get into the Technology Learning Center before classes. She’d stay and do homework until it shut down at night. So when the campus closed and courses shifted online due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Paintsil wondered how she’d manage without a computer at home. At first, she tried tackling assignments with her tablet.... Read More

Tri-C’s Lisa Williams Named to Cleveland Leadership Class

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) Eastern Campus President Lisa Williams has been selected for the next Cleveland Leadership Center class working to guide Northeast Ohio toward future success. Williams is one of 68 members of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2021. The group represents public and private companies, nonprofits and public-sector institutions. Members are selected through a competitive application process. The 10-month program explores the power of collaborative... Read More

Tri-C Student Among National LGBTQ Scholarship Recipients

Tristan Callahan of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is among 134 LGBTQ student leaders across the nation to be awarded a 2020 scholarship from the Point Foundation. The scholarships recognize scholars “with a proven track record of leading in their local and academic communities through their activism, advocacy and organizing,” according to the organization.  Callahan is studying physical therapy at Tri-C, where he began taking classes in... Read More

To the Rescue: Emergency Fund Helps Tri-C Students Overcome Hardship

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) offers a path to a better future. The Tri-C Foundation kept its focus on that truism as student needs grew during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Foundation worked to keep Tri-C students on track to graduation as the pandemic upended daily life. The goal was to provide assistance and stability in the present to help students find future success. A recent story by Cleveland Jewish News highlighted the Foundation’s efforts as an example of how... Read More

Tri-C Professor Honored by Outdoor Writers of Ohio

When it comes to writing about fishing, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) professor Andrew Pegman keeps landing awards for his work. His most recent catch is a third-place honor for magazine writing from the Outdoor Writers of Ohio. Pegman received the award for a story titled “Fishing from Stone.” The article on fly-fishing appeared in the spring 2019 edition of The Drake magazine. The essay brings readers along for one of Pegman’s visits to a Lake... Read More

‘Tri-C Times’ Profiles Alumni Who Keep the Community Running

As the COVID-19 outbreak upended daily life, communities turned to “essential workers” — many of whom trained at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) — for critical services and stability. The cover story for the Summer 2020 edition of Tri-C Times magazine spotlights five Tri-C graduates who worked on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. The newest edition of the magazine also includes several stories on Tri-C’s response to the... Read More

Pandemic Spurring Dual Enrollment Boom

Four months into the COVID-19 crisis, educators are starting to see an interesting trend resulting from pandemic-related shutdowns.Nationwide, the number of high school students opting for dual enrollment programs — such as College Credit Plus (CCP) in Ohio — was already on the rise prior to the coronavirus. But in March, when the pandemic closed most primary and secondary schools across the country, those numbers started to skyrocket.Cuyahoga Community College... Read More

One and Done: Creating a New Model for Student Financial Aid

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) contributed to an award-winning report that envisions a simpler process for students submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). A research team from the Center for American Progress (CAP) developed a plan in which students would complete the FAFSA once and receive a financial aid package covering their entire higher education journey. Currently, students submit a FAFSA annually in a complicated... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Monica Starks

#TriCFamous is a bimonthly feature that introduces readers to the people who make the College work while providing a sneak peek into their lives off campus.  Monica Starks joined Tri-C as an assessment technician in 1995 before becoming an educator. Now a sociology lecturer based at Westshore Campus, her courses cover topics including death and dying, family, gender, and race and ethnicity. She’s taught at least one semester at each of Tri-C’s four... Read More

Community Colleges Working to Answer Calls for Police Reform

Demand for law enforcement reform continues to grow as cases of police brutality roil the nation. As communities re-examine policies and training, community colleges expect to play a prominent role. A story on the issue by Community College Daily included comments from Clayton Harris, dean of public safety at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). Harris said concepts such as bias-free policing and de-escalation need to be emphasized to officers throughout their careers. He was one... Read More

Tri-C Mobile Training Unit Helps Manufacturers Regain Momentum

Northeast Ohio’s manufacturing sector is rolling again following disruptions created by the COVID-19 outbreak. The same can be said for the mobile training unit at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), a classroom-on-wheels that brings customized training directly to regional companies and schools. A column in this week’s edition of Crain’s Cleveland Business outlines how the mobile unit helps manufacturers keep pace with ever-evolving industry demands... Read More

Tri-C Announces Plans to Bring Students Back to Campuses for Fall Semester

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will resume in-person classes on a limited basis this fall, with most courses being offered online given ongoing uncertainties created by the COVID-19 outbreak. Up to 40% of Tri-C’s Fall 2020 courses will take place at its campuses and training locations. Most of these courses involve hands-on training that require face-to-face instruction and access to specialized equipment. The return will come with noticeable changes to campus life,... Read More

A Band Name That Everyone is Talking About

Everybody knows the name of the Harley Ganiere’s heavy metal band. The Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) student made sure of it. Ganiere filed the federal paperwork to trademark “Coronavirus” as the name of his ready-to-rock group. His marketing move was noted in a recent Washington Post Magazine story looking at branding trends related to the global pandemic. “As soon as I heard the term spreading like wildfire on the news, I knew I... Read More

Tri-C JazzFest Announces Lineup for Virtual Festival

The best of Northeast Ohio’s jazz talent will be livestreamed over two summer nights in a virtual edition of the 41st annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank. More than a dozen acts in a lineup announced today promise to keep the music pumping during this free event Friday, Aug. 21 and Saturday, Aug. 22. The performances will begin 7 p.m. each night and run approximately 90 minutes on various online platforms. The virtual festival will feature pre-recorded and live... Read More

Tri-C Among Schools Prioritizing Disability Services

For the thousands of Northeast Ohioans dealing with disabilities, the prospect of entering college can be daunting. Students with disabilities often worry about the various hurdles they may have to clear in order to begin and continue their education.However, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is taking steps to remove those obstacles.In a recent Cleveland Jewish News article, Tri-C Assistant Dean of Counseling Kate Vodicka spoke about the programs and support available to incoming... Read More

Roots of Success: Tri-C Horiculture Student Wins TREE Fund Scholarship

The Tree Research and Education Endowment (TREE) Fund is contributing to the academic growth of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) horticulture student Layla Lang. The TREE Fund recently awarded Lang a $5,000 scholarship to continue her studies in the College’s Plant Science and Landscape Technology program at Eastern Campus. She received the nonprofit organization’s Bonnie Appleton Memorial Scholarship. The Olmsted Township resident is in her second year at... Read More

Proposed Cleveland Scholar House Would Benefit Tri-C Students

A proposed apartment project near the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) aims to break the “cycle of poverty” by providing affordable housing and services to college students with young children. Tri-C is among a group of community partners working on Cleveland Scholar House, a first-of-its-kind project for Northeast Ohio. The concept is modeled after successful initiatives that launched in Kentucky before spreading north to Cincinnati and... Read More

Award-Winning Polaris Students Choose Tri-C

This fall’s freshman class at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) includes a pair of “outstanding” graduates from Polaris Career Center. Sarah Eifel and Lydia Rabne — who were named Outstanding Seniors for the Polaris Class of 2020 — have both decided to continue their education at Tri-C, according to a news release by the career center. Eifel intends to pursue a degree in business management from Tri-C before transferring to a... Read More

Making a Difference: Micki Byrnes Honored for Work With Tri-C Foundation

The Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) Foundation recently presented its Chairperson’s Award to Micki Byrnes for her dedicated service to the organization and its student-focused mission. The award honors individuals for significant and difference-making work with the Foundation. In recognizing Byrnes, Foundation leaders noted the impact of her strategic thinking and guidance in communications. "Her creative and thoughtful advice has helped the Foundation share heartfelt... Read More

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Displays Tri-C Tie

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and its mascot, Stomp, received some prime time exposure May 11 courtesy of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.  DeWine wore a teal tie featuring Tri-C’s beloved triceratops mascot during his daily press briefing. He has been wearing ties from different colleges and universities across Ohio while providing updates on the state’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.  The governor spoke briefly about the College in his... Read More

Consider a ‘Certainty Year’ at a Community College

The Ohio Association of Community Colleges (OACC) today announced the “Year 1 at Home” campaign to remind students of the options available at the state’s community colleges as they contemplate higher education during the COVID-19 outbreak.  Jack Hershey, president and CEO of the OACC, explained the campaign in the following essay.  Behind life and health, COVID-19’s greatest casualty is probably certainty. How much longer will I... Read More

Tri-C Foundation Honors Gloria Moosmann for Distinguished Service

The Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) Foundation Board of Directors awarded its 2020 Heath Oliver Distinguished Director Award to Gloria J. Moosmann in appreciation of her exemplary service to the College and its students.  Moosmann led the Foundation for 16 years while serving as the College’s vice president of development, overseeing a period of unprecedented fundraising growth that continues to benefit Tri-C students.  During her tenure, she helped... Read More

Tri-C Foundation Announces 2020-2021 Leadership Team

The Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) Foundation announced its 2020-2021 leadership team during its annual meeting. Louis G. Joseph, president and CEO of The Brewer-Garrett Company, was appointed chairperson. He has served as a Foundation director since 2001 and received the Foundation’s Heath Oliver Distinguished Director Award in 2017 for his exemplary service to the College. Joseph succeeds John Skory, who led the Foundation over the past year and will continue to... Read More

Tri-C’s Dean of Public Safety Sees Policing at a Crossroads

Escalating numbers of protesters continue to fill streets across the nation, their chants demanding an end to police brutality and changes to community policing following the death of George Floyd. Clayton Harris, dean of public safety at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and Tri-C’s police chief, hears the calls for action. The power of the message, he said, promises to spark reform. Harris spoke about the issue June 8 on The Sound of Ideas show on 90.3... Read More

Tri-C Culinary Grad Named an Instagram Must-Follow

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) culinary graduate Ramat Wiley deserves your attention, according to Cleveland Magazine. The publication included Wiley on a list of 20 black women to follow on Instagram after identifying her as one of Cleveland’s most interesting influencers. The story is rooted in the growing #AmplifyMelanatedVoices movement. “These 20 fantastic follows are just a few of the many local black women who take to Instagram to share their passion... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Holly Dufala

#TriCFamous is a bimonthly feature that introduces readers to the people who make the College work while providing a sneak peek into their lives off campus.  Holly Dufala works at the College’s District Administrative Services building. As supervisor of Hospitality Services and Retail Operations, one of her duties is managing Indians, Cavs and concert parking at the District Garage. Her husband, Marty, is a maintenance mechanic at Tri-C’s Metro... Read More

Tri-C Signs Declaration Addressing Racism

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is among a group of more than 20 Northeast Ohio organizations that have signed a declaration vowing to address racism as a public health crisis. The declaration followed nationwide protests and increased focus on race relations after the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man whose final words — “I can’t breathe” — came as he was being  restrained by a white police officer in... Read More

Solutions to Social Injustice Must Begin With Civil Conversations

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Alex Johnson recently issued this message to the community about the death of George Floyd and how the College will work to bridge divides and eradicate intolerance, injustice and inequality. On May 25, George Floyd gasped his final words — “I can’t breathe” — while lying handcuffed on the street in Minneapolis with a knee pressed into his neck. This horrific incident adds to a sad... Read More

Tri-C Suspends Fall and Winter Athletics Due to COVID-19

Due to uncertainties created by the COVID-19 outbreak, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is suspending fall and winter athletics to safeguard student-athletes, coaches and the community. The risk of spreading COVID-19 during team activities is simply too great. It would be challenging — if not impossible — to implement the precautions and protocols needed to ensure a safe environment during competition, practices and other aspects of athletics. Tri-C is not... Read More

Tri-C JazzFest: Keeping the Beat

Jazz reveals its spirit and soul through improvisation. The same can be said for this year’s Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank. Organizers of the annual festival — now in its 41st year — refused to let the COVID-19 outbreak silence the music that typically brings tens of thousands of people to Playhouse Square every summer. Tri-C JazzFest will make toes tap this year, just in a different way. The show, as they say, must go on. So a virtual... Read More

Tri-C Foundation Expands Student Emergency Fund

Cuyahoga Community College’s mid-March transition to all-online learning created unavoidable challenges for many students, both in school and at home.In the months since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Ohio, the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation has expanded its funding and services to aid students in need, removing roadblocks so they can continue on the path to their educational goals.A recent Cleveland Jewish News article highlighted some of the steps the Foundation has taken... Read More

Major League Honor: Tri-C Pitcher Named Tribe's Best Hometown Draft Pick

The Cleveland Indians didn’t travel far to scout the player they drafted with the first overall pick in the January 1986 amateur baseball draft. The Tribe selected pitcher Jeff Shaw after watching him take the mound for Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). Shaw made it to the big leagues with the Indians in 1990, launching a 12-year career in the majors. Armed with a nasty split-fingered fastball, the right-hander saved 203 games while pitching for five teams. He was... Read More

Creating the ‘College Experience’ in a COVID-19 World

At Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and colleges across the nation, the upcoming fall semester promises to be different than in years past given adjustments forced by the COVID-19 outbreak. What won’t change, though, is Tri-C’s work to make students feel at home in higher education. A recent story by Cleveland Jewish News focused on how classes will resume this fall as the world adapts to limit the spread of COVID-19. Reporter Becky Raspe spoke with... Read More

Tri-C Alumnus Ends Hall of Fame Journalism Career

After more than four decades of reporting in Northeast Ohio, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) alumnus Ken Robinson has ended a career that landed him a spot in the Press Club of Cleveland Hall of Fame. Robinson announced his retirement from WTAM/1100 AM last week. He spent 20 years with the radio news powerhouse, covering the major news of the region and — in his words — interviewing “many interesting and infamous people.” Prior to joining... Read More

Tri-C President Alex Johnson on Leadership During Pandemic

In a March Smart Business Cleveland column, Cuyahoga Community College President Alex Johnson wrote about the differences between change management systems and an integrated model of process improvement.Johnson noted that an ongoing process improvement model, integrated into an organization’s operations, strategies and procedures, is often more effective at sustaining improvement and efficiency than change management systems.In the two months since that column, the rapid change... Read More

Early Success at Tri-C Runs in the Bennett Family

A front page story in the May 28 edition of the Sun Messenger shares a truth from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®): The Bennett sisters are redefining what it means to be “college age.” The article – also found here on cleveland.com – introduces readers to Angel, Amber and Anita Bennett of Richmond Heights. All three enrolled at Tri-C well before being old enough to drive. As a way of introduction: Angel, now 18,... Read More

Bringing an Island Vibe to the North Coast

(Editor’s Note: After temporarily closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both Irie Jamaican Kitchen locations were reopened as of Friday, May 22. For more information, visit the Irie Jamaican Kitchen website.)Food has been at the center of Omar McKay’s life for as long as he can remember."My father is a chef who now works in London, and even at home as a kid, I remember watching my mom cooking in the kitchen," McKay said. "That is how I developed my passion for food and... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Ormond Brathwaite

#TriCFamous is a bimonthly feature that introduces readers to the people who make the College work while providing a sneak peek into their lives off campus.  Ormond Brathwaite serves as associate dean of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at the Western Campus. He holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the City University of New York. On weekends, you can often find him playing lawn tennis with his favorite opponent ― renowned psychologist Dr. Howard... Read More

The Power of the Tri-C Student Success Story

Donors change lives when they give to the Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) Foundation — and that’s a fact they often learn about firsthand. Student scholarship recipients at Tri-C write letters thanking donors for their support, said Megan O’Bryan, the foundation’s president. The idea is to show the impact of dollars given to the College. Cleveland Jewish News recently talked with O’Bryan and others in Northeast Ohio about the... Read More

On the Front Lines of COVID-19: Tri-C Student Called an ‘Unsung Hero’

Stacy Howard suits up daily at University Hospitals Parma Medical Center to clean and sanitize rooms housing COVID-19 patients. She understands the dangers, too. That’s why she asked for the assignment. Howard — who’s working at the hospital while studying graphic design at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) — volunteered to clean the patient areas with coronavirus cases to protect one of her co-workers. That colleague, Nedjeljka... Read More

Online Workforce Training Offered Through Tri-C Access Centers

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is offering a free online Workforce Success Seminar this summer to expand community access to education and job training during the COVID-19 outbreak. The course is designed to sharpen skills necessary to succeed in the workplace while providing an introduction to the College and its resources. It is part of the ongoing Tri-C Access Center initiative. The online seminar begins June 8 and runs through the first week of August. Participants... Read More

Tri-C Creative Arts Academy: A Launching Pad for Talent

A dozen students with years of dance, jazz or orchestral training in the Creative Arts Academy at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will take their talents to colleges across the nation to continue their studies. Tri-C’s Creative Arts Academy serves as a preparatory program for pre-college students. It operates on the belief that a vibrant arts curriculum creates a clear pathway to higher education. Students start as young as age 3 and can continue through high... Read More

Tri-C Announces Plans to Address Financial Impact of COVID-19

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) today announced plans to offset the financial impact of COVID-19 on its fiscal year 2021 budget. The College projects a $25 million shortfall over the next year due to the pandemic. This includes decreases in state funding, enrollment and other revenues, as well as approximately $1 million in additional operational expenses resulting from the coronavirus crisis. In response, the College is taking steps to preserve its long-term financial... Read More

Tri-C Student Featured in Online Art Exhibit Reflecting on COVID-19

An online exhibition that examines the COVID-19 pandemic through the eyes of artists features two works by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) student Duane L. Dickson. A drawing and painting by Dickson are among more than 100 works currently featured in the Florence O'Donnell Wasmer Virtual Gallery by Ursuline College. The online exhibit ― Self Portraits: Artists Respond to COVID-19 ― runs through May 22. Dickson’s contributions include a drawing... Read More

Tri-C’s Women in Transition Program Offers Online Summer Sessions

The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is launching a session of online classes to empower women in their pursuit of education, training and a career. The five-week program begins the first week of June. Interactive online sessions will take place from 10 a.m. to noon three days a week. One session runs Monday to Wednesday; the other runs Tuesday to Thursday. The noncredit program is free and open to the public. Participants build confidence and... Read More

Tri-C Nursing Graduate Felt ‘A Calling’ to Enter Her New Career

Jill Collins spent 40 hours in labor before doctors performed an emergency C-section to deliver her daughter, Sylvia, in 2016. The baby struggled in the days after, too, leading to a nine-day stay in the NICU. Looking back, Collins calls the experience the most difficult of her life. She made it through, in part, thanks to the nurses at Fairview Hospital. Collins hopes to one day offer the same support to others. The 33-year-old is graduating from Cuyahoga Community College... Read More

Working It Out

Oktay Adatepe felt overwhelmed. A year into his studies at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), he watched as his bank account balance inched closer to zero. His path to a degree seemed to be vanishing. That all changed, however, with the scholarship he earned upon being accepted as a Mandel Scholar at Tri-C’s Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center. “I could not describe my excitement,” he said. “It gave me a chance to finish my... Read More

Tri-C to Honor Spring Graduates With Virtual Celebration on May 14

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will recognize the academic achievements and determination of nearly 2,500 petitioning graduates this week during a virtual celebration in their honor. Tri-C’s first online ceremony for graduates begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 14. The event will be streamed on the College’s Facebook page, YouTube channel and SmartTV cable broadcast stations. Restrictions on large gatherings due to the COVID-19 outbreak forced the College to... Read More

Learning to Play a Different Keyboard

Brittaney Byers’ skill with the stenotype machine began taking root in a very different place. For most of her life, she trained as a pianist. Lessons that began at age 4 built a momentum that eventually carried her to Cleveland State University to study music. She long envisioned a life centered on fingers dancing across black-and-white keys. But it was not to be. She left CSU after a short time as her life took on a different rhythm. That new beat led to Cuyahoga Community... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Chris Faciana

#TriCFamous is a bimonthly feature that introduces readers to the people who make the College work while providing a sneak peek into their lives off campus. Chris Faciana is the program manager for Sport and Exercise Studies at the Eastern Campus. He also serves as an advisor for Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s Alpha Epsilon Eta chapter. You may recognize him (and his toddler son) from a recent Fox 8 segment in which he demonstrated ideas for staying fit while staying... Read More

New Country, New Opportunities

In his native Ghana, Ibrahim Sackey was always the neighborhood IT fix-it guy. It’s how he began learning the tools of the technology trade. “Neighbors would always call me if they had a computer problem because they knew I was into that,” Sackey said. “I really enjoyed it and started educating myself along the way.” But opportunities to further his IT education were much more difficult to come by in his West African homeland. So in 2017, he... Read More

Thrown a Curveball

Ken Lugo saw diamonds in his future as a student at Brunswick High School. He expected to earn his diploma and head to either Bowling Green State University or Ball State University, schools that recruited him to play baseball. Fate had a different plan. Lugo injured his knee during his senior year, dashing his dreams of playing collegiate baseball. At that point, Lugo didn’t even see college in his future. Fast forward 10 years, and the 28-year old Brunswick resident will... Read More

The Sweet Sound of Graduation

Corinne Nicol always wanted to play music. She began tapping piano keys at the age of six. Three years later, while still in elementary school, she discovered her talent for the flute. “I picked it up and really took to it,” Nicol said. “I still played others, but flute was my main instrument.” Fast forward to today, and the 20-year-old is set to graduate from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) with an Associate of Arts degree focused on... Read More

Tri-C Launches Full Tuition Assistance Program

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) today announced a Full Tuition Assistance program to offset academic and workforce training costs for Cuyahoga County residents facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The program will cover tuition for new or returning Tri-C students with financial needs that intensified during the pandemic response. Only Cuyahoga County residents are eligible. The funding can be used toward academic credit courses or workforce training programs.... Read More

Cadets Return to Tri-C Police Academy

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has resumed face-to-face training at its Police Academy seven weeks after suspending on-site instruction amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. Cadets returned Monday to Tri-C’s KeyBank Public Safety Training Center at Western Campus. They are the first group to restart classes on campus since the College halted in-person instruction in March. As part of the reopening, Tri-C’s program adopted safe distancing measures and precautions... Read More

Going Green

Tai-Renee King enrolled at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) in 2017 to complete prerequisites toward a library science degree. Three years later, she’s graduating from the College with an Associate of Applied Science in Plant Science and Landscaping Technology and a certificate in landscape contracting. What changed? “I was always interested in environmental issues, but I never thought to make a career out of it,” said King, 28, of Cleveland.... Read More

Tri-C JazzFest Partners With Dominick Farinacci On Virtual Concert Series

Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland is partnering with acclaimed trumpeter Dominick Farinacci to present Songbook Watch Party, a virtual performance space that allows jazz artists around the globe to connect with new audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The free virtual performances featuring Farinacci and musical guests will be streamed at 7 p.m.  Sundays on platforms such as Zoom, Facebook and YouTube. The next show is set for May 10. Farinacci’s path to becoming an... Read More

Staying the Course

Finish what you started. As Timothy Kelly’s life crumbled around him a few years ago, he reflected on those four words. He heard the message often while taking classes at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). It took on new significance after his mother passed away. “My three-year plan with Tri-C turned into a six-year plan,” Kelly said. “But that’s OK.” Because he did finish what he started. The 56-year-old U.S. Army... Read More

Tri-C and Hiram College Form New Pathway for Honors Students

A new partnership between Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and Hiram College creates a seamless and sequential progression of courses for honors students building from an associate degree to a bachelor’s degree. The pathway offers students direct acceptance into Hiram’s Eclectic Scholars program upon completion of the Tri-C honors program with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5. “This new partnership will ensure that transfer students from Tri-C will... Read More

A Life-Changing Suggestion

Doubt gripped Sedi Rrustemaj as she finished her senior year at Rocky River High School. Despite posting a 4.0 GPA after emigrating from Albania, she didn’t feel ready to enroll at a four-year university. “I didn’t know a lot about how college works here,” she said. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study, either, or if I could afford it. So I thought I’d take a year off to figure things out.” That’s... Read More

Helping Students: Tri-C Receives $500,000 Gift From Petros Family

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) today announced a $500,000 gift from Anne-Marie and Sam Petros to help students overcome financial hardships and continue their studies during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Petros Family Student Relief Fund will offer emergency aid and tuition assistance for students enrolled in academic and workforce training programs at Tri-C. It will fill a gap by providing support to students who do not qualify for federal funding. The program begins with the... Read More

Tri-C Partners With Nielsen Company on Wellness Webinars

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is partnering with the Nielsen Company, a global provider of market research and data analytics, on a series of wellness webinars featuring Tri-C Speakers Bureau members. The presentations begin May 6 and continue through the end of June. The College and Nielsen joined on the project given a shared commitment to workplace and community wellness. The company will make the webinars available to its 43,000 employees, but anyone interested in the... Read More

A Grandfather’s Guidance Leads to Graduation

Niyonkuru Ines never considered herself college material while taking classes at St. Martin de Porres High School, located a short walk from her home on Cleveland’s east side. Her grandfather, however, looked at Ines and saw a young woman destined for bigger things. He insisted that she continue her education. Then he paid her tuition at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) to make it happen. That investment in the future matures this month, as Ines is set to graduate from... Read More

Tri-C’s James Banks: A Witness to History

Some moments can’t be forgotten. Fifty years after the Kent State University shootings, James Banks remembers watching as members of the Ohio National Guard turned, kneeled and pointed their rifles at students gathered near Taylor Hall. Four students died in the 13 seconds of gunfire that continue to echo through time. Nine were wounded. “I saw the muzzle flashes. ‘Oh, my god,’” Banks, a professor emeritus of history at Cuyahoga Community... Read More

Fitness Focus: Tri-C Recognized for Creating Culture of Wellness on Campuses

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has joined a select list of universities and colleges honored by Exercise is Medicine® for efforts to create a culture of wellness. Tri-C received a silver level designation from the organization for its work promoting a healthier lifestyle through fitness. It was one of 167 institutions honored from around the world. Health and wellness initiatives sponsored by the College’s Sport and Exercise Studies program include the... Read More

Removing Roadblocks to Success

Due to a rare genetic condition called Klinefelter syndrome, Connor House needs to work harder to achieve his goals. “The syndrome has various aspects, but the one that impacts me the most is an auditory processing disorder,” he said. “Basically, if I’m having a long conversation with someone or trying to listen in class for long periods, I might have a more difficult time processing the information.” At Cuyahoga Community College... Read More

A College Graduate at Age 14

Patience framed Amber Bennett’s pursuit of an Associate of Arts degree from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). She slowly picked away at graduation requirements over three years while taking classes fall, spring and summer. “I took my time,” Bennett said of her nine-semester journey. “I really didn’t want to rush things.” Few would share that belief. Bennett is set to become a college graduate at age 14, a few weeks... Read More

Rising to the Challenge

As a student at Strongsville High School, Shahzeb Malik was apprehensive about taking classes at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) — but not for the reasons that you might think. He was worried they would not be challenging enough. That attitude changed quickly, however, during an Introduction to Psychology course on his first day at Western Campus. “When I stepped into that first class, I immediately knew it was going to demand more of me,” Malik... Read More

Tri-C Student Artwork Selected for North American Competition

Five Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) students will have their work showcased in 2019-2020 League for Innovation in the Community College Student Art Competition. The 34th annual competition by the League for Innovation highlights the best work by community college students from across North America. Honorees include these Tri-C students: Faith Cogar of Cleveland for her ceramic piece “Panic Room.” Duane L. Dickson of Cleveland Heights for his... Read More

Learning to Make a Difference

The classmate approached Jarusha Weeks, as many do while she’s out and about at Eastern Campus performing her duties as a Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) student ambassador. This conversation, though, was different. The student just started talking about the emotional turmoil gripping her life and the difficulties of her day. The encounter spurred Weeks — an aspiring social worker — into action. She formulated a plan that led to the creation of E4,... Read More

Signs of Hope for College Graduates Entering the Job Market

A few months ago, the Class of 2020 expected to graduate and walk into one of the most vibrant job markets on record. Then came the COVID-19 outbreak, business closures and skyrocketing unemployment numbers. So what can college graduates expect? The Sound of Ideas show on 90.3 FM/WCPN examined the issue April 29 during a conversation with Claudia Motiu of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and other leaders from college career development centers. Motiu is the director of employer... Read More

A Healthy Prize: Tri-C Culinary Student Awarded Scholarship

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) student Gabrielle Shipta recently received the 2020 Culinary Scholarship sponsored by the Cleveland chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI). The chef-to-be plans to put the $2,000 prize toward her Tri-C tuition as she pursues an Associate of Applied Business degree in hospitality management with a focus on culinary arts. Shipta enrolled in Tri-C’s culinary program to build on a bachelor’s... Read More

Tri-C Grad on Arab Americans of Cleveland Leadership Board

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) graduate Jamal Julia “Lello” Boudiab is part of the leadership board of the newly created Arab Americans of Cleveland (AAC) – Young Professionals Network. The AAC recently profiled Boudiab as part of a series of Facebook posts highlighting board members. Boudiab studied graphic design at Tri-C and earned an Associate of Applied Business degree in 2013. She’s currently a licensed real estate agent and... Read More

Tri-C Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Campaign Helps the Homeless

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society members at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) hope to use the strength of their organization to boost COVID-19 relief efforts by the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. Money earned through a T-shirt sale organized by the honor society’s Alpha Epsilon Eta chapter at Eastern Campus will benefit the nonprofit organization as it works to help Northeast Ohio’s homeless population. The shirts feature the message... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Jennifer Davis

#TriCfamous is a bimonthly feature that introduces readers to the people who make the College work while providing a sneak peek into their lives off campus. Jennifer Davis has held various positions over her 20 years at Tri-C. Her cheerful personality and affinity for the adventurous make her the perfect person to serve as student activities director at the Metropolitan Campus. Tell us about the most daring thing you’ve ever done. I went on the trip of a lifetime in July 2019... Read More

Tri-C Students Share Tips to Stay Virtually Engaged

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) students have spent the month of April growing acclimated to remote coursework, but that hasn’t suppressed their creativity or appetite for community. Members of the College’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapters displayed their leadership by recording videos to share tips on how students can remain engaged in a virtual setting. The videos — which will be posted to the College’s Facebook page April 27... Read More

Tri-C’s Alex Johnson on ‘Cleveland After COVID-19’

What will Cleveland look like when the city emerges on the other side of the coronavirus outbreak? Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) President Alex Johnson offered his opinion in an essay published in The Plain Dealer and on cleveland.com. The publication launched its “Cleveland After COVID-19” series of essays April 26 to hear from thought leaders within the Greater Cleveland community. In his guest column, Johnson notes the uncertainties created by the... Read More

Tri-C to Students: Stay Focused on Future During Pandemic

“This too shall pass.”The well-known adage always sees renewed popularity in times of hardship. But for students in or soon to enter college, the phrase is truer than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic.Though a sense of uncertainty seems to have permeated every aspect of life over the past six weeks, the crisis will subside at some point — and students who continue to work toward their educational goals will be ahead of the game when it does.It’s... Read More

Tri-C JazzFest Teams With Virtual Shows CLE to Support Local Musicians

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) today announced a partnership between Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland and Virtual Shows CLE by Brite Winter to support a series of live online jazz concerts to benefit local musicians. The virtual performances will be streamed free on Facebook Live by Virtual Shows CLE, with the series kicking off with jazz guitarist Dan Wilson at 8 p.m. Sunday, April 26. The launch coincides with Jazz Appreciation Month. “We applaud Virtual Shows CLE and... Read More

Tri-C Professor Reels in Dream of Writing for Field & Stream

In the world of outdoor writers, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) professor Andrew Pegman landed a pretty big fish. Field & Stream recently posted a story written by Pegman about fly-fishing for Lake Erie walleye at night. He said seeing his byline under the renowned publication’s digital masthead fulfilled a lifelong goal. (Click here to read the story.) The associate professor of English is an award-winning outdoor writer whose work reflects his lifelong passion... Read More

Online Learning Program at Tri-C Ranked Among Nation’s Best

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has been recognized as one of the nation’s Top 50 community colleges for online learning by College Consensus. Tri-C ranked 25th on the organization’s list of top online programs at two-year schools across the country. Evaluations were based on online degree offerings, user-friendliness of learning platforms and other factors. College Consensus noted that Tri-C’s flexible program allows students “to... Read More

2020 Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland Canceled

Uncertainties created by the COVID-19 outbreak have led to the cancellation of the 41st annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank. The event had been scheduled for June 25-27 at Playhouse Square. Too many unknowns regarding the spread of the virus, and when it may subside enough for the state to lift restrictions on large-group activities, forced the decision. There’s hope, however, that the music won’t be completely silenced. Planning is underway to present... Read More

Tri-C Softball Players Reflect on Lost Season

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) softball players Cassandra Fendrick and Breanna Musick expected to be making a charge toward the NJCAA National Championship tournament right about now. Instead, the roommates often play catch while wondering what could have been. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of all NJCAA spring sports, ending what looked to be a promising season for the Triceratops. Tri-C opened with a 10-2 record during their spring break trip. The strong... Read More

Flow of Scholarships Continues from Irrigation Association

For the third consecutive year, a national scholarship program for those pursuing careers in the field of irrigation selected a Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) student as one of its honorees. Tri-C’s Tai-Renee King was one of 22 Irrigation Association scholarship recipients from colleges and universities across the nation. The winners come from associate to graduate programs with a focus on irrigation. King, of Cleveland, is a 4.0 GPA student enrolled in... Read More

COVID-19 Response: Tri-C Foundation Committing Resources to Students

Over the past month, Cuyahoga Community College students, faculty and staff have had to make the unprecedented adjustment to a fully online learning format.But as the College has taken substantial safe distancing measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19, it has created an entirely new set of challenges ― many of which pose a threat to keeping students in school and on track to graduate.In a recent WKYC segment, Cuyahoga Community College Foundation President Megan... Read More

Feeding a Need: Tri-C Employees Raise $7,000 for Greater Cleveland Food Bank

Employees at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) have raised nearly $7,000 — and counting — to help the Greater Cleveland Food Bank meet the surge of demand created by the COVID-19 outbreak. The donation grew from the College’s annual Harvest for Hunger campaign, with dollars collected on campus and online. The money raised so far will provide nearly 27,000 meals for those in need. Click here to make a donation and partner with Tri-C to help those in... Read More

Tri-C Working Overtime to Reach Students During COVID-19 Outbreak

How do you keep college students connected to classes and campuses after they become distance learners during a pandemic? Two words: personalized attention. Lots of it, too. Faculty and staff at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) have made nearly 20,000 phone calls to students since the College shifted to remote delivery of classes to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Each call focused on ensuring students made a seamless transition to online learning and services.... Read More

Building Skills to be a Successful Remote Worker

Social distancing feels foreign to those of us who work daily outside the home. Sure, we send emails and talk on the phone regularly ― but there are many ways in which remote work differs from in-person interaction, beyond just physical presence. So what makes a successful remote worker? Corporate College® at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) offers several self-paced online courses that can help you answer that question while strengthening your skills to meet... Read More

Dressed for Success: Costumes Send Positive Messages for Online Class

What to wear to class today? That seemingly simple question brings some interesting answers for Holly Gast, a communications lecturer at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). Gast has dug into the Halloween section of her household closets to add extra fun to Fundamentals of Speech Communication lectures since the College shifted to online classes due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Students logging in for their first virtual class found Gast dressed as Good Luck Bear, a fuzzy green Care... Read More

Tri-C Well-Prepared for Online Learning Conversion

Over the past month, the process of moving to an all-online class format been a major undertaking for Cuyahoga Community College.But in an effort to help protect students, faculty and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, the College moved quickly to successfully meet the challenge, working with education technology companies to rapidly expand the reach and capacity of its online learning platforms.In a Wednesday release, Mediasite noted that Tri-C has been “well-prepared to instantly... Read More

Tri-C Student Makes ‘Ear Guards’ for Mask-Wearing Workers

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) student Paul Blazek starts his 3D printer each morning with one goal in mind: Help those working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Blazek has been making “ear guards” that prevent chafing from the elastic straps that hold face masks in place. Workers in health care and other fields have had the backs of their ears rubbed raw after wearing masks for hours on end. The notched plastic strip made by Blazek wraps around... Read More

COVID-19 Response: Tri-C’s Encore On-the-Go Program Offers Online Classes

Encore 55+ Learning at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will begin offering online classes as the College works to maintain community programs while adapting to challenges created by the COVID-19 outbreak. Encore On-the-Go features virtual sessions three days a week to enrich the minds and lives of those aged 55 and older. Classes begin April 21 and take place every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday through May 29. The 90-minute sessions start at either 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Classes... Read More

Tri-C Famous: Beth Cieslik

Tri-C employees are all about helping students succeed. But have you ever wondered what they do when they’re not at work? Tri-C Famous is a new feature that introduces you to the people who make the College work while providing a sneak peek into their lives off campus. For the first installment, I decided to share a little bit about the Tri-C employee I know best: Me! Beth Cieslik is an editorial/SEO specialist in Tri-C’s Integrated Communications department.... Read More

COVID-19 Response: Tri-C Moves All Summer Classes Online

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) today announced that all summer session classes will be held online this year to build upon efforts to halt the COVID-19 outbreak and safeguard the community. The summer shift to online courses reflects Tri-C’s ongoing efforts to adapt to challenges created by the COVID-19 situation while allowing students to continue progressing toward graduation. Summer session represents an opportunity to build momentum toward degrees or... Read More

COVID-19 Response: Tri-C Offers Students Pass/No Pass Grade Option

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) has temporarily modified the Pass/No Pass grade option to assist students concerned about maintaining grades for the Spring 2020 semester and Summer 2020 session due to disruptions created by the COVID-19 outbreak. Once students receive their earned semester grade(s), they will have the option to petition for conversion to Pass/No Pass grades. Earned grades of C and higher will be converted to P (pass), while grades of D and lower will be... Read More

COVID-19 Response: CARES Act Provides $5 Million to Help Tri-C Students

The federal government has awarded $5 million to Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) to provide direct emergency grants to students whose lives and education have been disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The funding is available through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act provides nearly $14 billion to support postsecondary students and institutions across the... Read More

COVID-19 Response: Tri-C Announces Changes to Spring Commencement

Given restrictions on large public gatherings due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will honor spring graduates May 14 with a virtual commencement ceremony. In addition, the College plans to gather spring graduates for a traditional commencement celebration in December so that they can experience the excitement and emotion of a formal cap-and-gown event. Tri-C President Alex Johnson announced the two-part plan in an email and video sent this afternoon to... Read More

Tri-C Loaning Ventilators to Hospitals to Aid COVID-19 Treatment

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) will loan eight ventilators to Northeast Ohio hospitals to help treat the growing surge of COVID-19 patients struggling to breathe. The devices will be distributed for use in intensive care units at Cleveland Clinic, The MetroHealth System, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center and University Hospitals. The donation answers a statewide call for equipment issued by Gov. Mike DeWine. An additional six College-owned ventilators, which are older, may be... Read More

Jazz Journalists Association Honors Tri-C JazzFest Director

Terri Pontremoli stands among the nation’s “Jazz Heroes” for her tireless devotion to the musical genre and impactful work with Tri-C JazzFest at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®). The Jazz Journalists Association selected Pontremoli as one of 27 honorees for its 2020 Jazz Heroes class. The organization defines those recognized as “activists, advocates, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz.” Each was nominated from within their... Read More

Tri-C’s Yudai Yamamoto Named to All-Ohio Academic Team

Yudai Yamamoto of Woodmere was one of nine students from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) named to the All-Ohio Community College Academic Team, which comprises top students at the state’s two-year schools. The All-Ohio Academic Team recognizes student excellence in academics, leadership and community service. Sixty-eight students from across the state were selected for this year’s team on the basis of their outstanding records. Tri-C had more students named... Read More

4/8 UPDATE: Tri-C Response to COVID-19

Communication is essential as Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) works to limit the spread of COVID-19. The following information was shared with Tri-C students, faculty and staff in an email Wednesday, April 8. Two more members of the Tri-C family ― an Eastern Campus student and a Western Campus security officer ― have tested positive for COVID-19. Both were last on-site on Tuesday, March 10, during spring break week when no classes were scheduled. The student... Read More