Tri-C Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Mandel Humanities Center and Expansion of Youth Academy

A new $3 Million commitment from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation deepens investment in civic leadership for Northeast Ohio high school students

CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Mandel Humanities Center — a decade of advancing humanities education, civic engagement and leadership development.

Coinciding with this milestone, the Mandel Foundation is committing an additional $3 million to expand the Mandel Youth Humanities Academy, a summer program for rising high school juniors and seniors. Held annually at the Tri-C Eastern Campus, the academy expands the students' understanding of the humanities and how it applies to their personal lives and long-term educational goals.

This new investment by the Mandel Foundation extends its historic partnership with Tri-C — which began with a landmark $10 million gift in 2015 — and reaffirms a shared commitment to fostering academic excellence and preparing future leaders to strengthen their communities.

"As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Mandel Humanities Center and the Mandel Scholars program, we are proud to renew our support for the Mandel Youth Humanities Academy for high school students," said Jehuda Reinharz, president and CEO of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation. "When the Mandel Center first opened in 2015, Mort saw it as an investment in civic leadership and civic engagement through the humanities. The Mandel Center has become a foundation for diverse pathways toward reaching this important goal, including a successful collaboration with Cleveland State University's Mandel Honors College, providing the Mandel Scholars with an avenue to four-year honors-level education. The early success of the Mandel Youth Humanities Academy has been equally promising, and we are very pleased to continue this work with our partners at Tri-C."

The grant will help the Mandel Youth Humanities Academy double the number of students it serves each summer (from 30 to 60); expand the year-long public project fellowship; increase community outreach in public schools through teacher partnerships; and create new leadership opportunities for students in the Mandel Scholars Academy.

The Mandel Youth Humanities Academy offers a unique opportunity for students from across Northeast Ohio: a fully paid curricular experience in the study of the humanities. Throughout the nine-week summer session, participants read and discuss core texts in philosophy, history, literature and other disciplines under the umbrella of the humanities while also connecting those ideas to film, new media (such as virtual reality) and "City as Text" experiences across Cleveland.

"The program introduced me to a plethora of intellectual tools that challenge my existing knowledge and address barriers to my moral and intellectual growth," said Natalie, a 2024 MYHA participant. "It also provided a supportive community that values my voice and encourages me to express ideas that others might find uncomfortable."

Since launching in 2022, 114 high school students have participated in the Mandel Youth Humanities Academy — 42% of whom identify as prospective first-generation college students.

The program has delivered immediate success and impact:

• College enrollment rates of academy alumni who have graduated high school: 83%
• Academy alumni who enrolled at college and received a partial or full scholarship: 40%
• Persistence beyond the first year of college: 89%
• Students pursuing a humanities education: 52%

"The Mandel Humanities Center has become a beacon of possibility for students who want to lead with purpose and make a difference," said Tri-C President Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D. "As we mark its 10th anniversary, we celebrate not only a decade of transformative education but also a future made brighter by the Mandel Foundation's continued generosity. This new $3 million gift to expand the Mandel Youth Humanities Academy ensures that even more young minds will discover how the humanities can shape their careers, communities and the world."

To date, the Mandel Foundation has donated $20 million to Tri-C.

The Mandel Humanities Center at Tri-C celebrates its 10th anniversary with special events taking place through Spring 2026.

October 21, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT: Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu