Business students taking part in innovative pilot program this Fall

CLEVELAND, Ohio (September 12, 2023) – This Fall, a select group of Monte Ahuja College of Business sophomore students will take part in a unique, on-campus learning experience made possible through the Talent Acquisition Services from JobsOhio to The Sherwin-Williams Company as part of their commitment to build a new global headquarters and R&D center in Northeast Ohio.

The Sherwin-Williams Career Accelerator will provide the students with significant career engagement opportunities designed to prepare them for academic and social success in college that will launch them into high-impact, in-demand careers at Sherwin-Williams and other local companies. The program provides connections and opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom.

“Through this program, students will be able to identify better and understand their career interests and major as well as develop career readiness skills,” said Anne Nelson, senior assistant dean of academic affairs and student services in the Monte Ahuja College of Business at Cleveland State.   

The Sherwin-Williams Career Accelerator participants will also take part in specialized career readiness workshops and be encouraged to apply for paid summer internships and co-op opportunities at Sherwin-Williams and other local companies. Furthermore, they will take classes together, have a dedicated, professional academic advisor, and access to additional resources to help the students succeed, such as laptops for their coursework, customized workshops, field trips to local businesses, and more.

According to Team NEO’s 2022 reports, “Aligning Opportunities in the Northeast Ohio Region” and “Misaligned Opportunities,” most of the opportunities for STEM positions, such as data scientists, information security analysts, software developers, and others, require a bachelor’s degree or higher, as do positions in Accounting and Finance. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed inequities in access to the internet, communications, financial education, and networking for minority workers and residents, and yet the Northeast Ohio workforce is becoming more diverse than ever.

“It remains a challenge for companies across the nation and world to find enough skilled workers in IT, finance, and business services, and Northeast Ohio is no different,” said JobsOhio President & CEO J.P. Nauseef. “Cleveland State University and the Monte Ahuja College of Business are known for their dedication to student success, and we are proud to have them as our partners to win more opportunities for Ohioans in these career fields and produce more talent in the workforce as we work to grow the region’s economy.”

“JobsOhio and Sherwin-Williams decided to partner with Cleveland State University on this pilot program because of our experience with the exceptional business-ready talent that we have seen from our CSU interns,” said Diana Strongosky, Sherwin-Williams, Senior Vice President of Global Innovation. “CSU is an ideal partner to achieve this goal. Many of their students are first-generation college students and often come from underrepresented minority communities in and around Northeast Ohio.”

“The Association of American Colleges and Universities recently identified high-impact practices that contribute to student success based on significant evidence,” said Dr. Melissa Gruys, Dean of the Monte Ahuja College of Business.

“Learning communities, common intellectual experiences, community-based learning, and internships are just a few practices. The Sherwin-Williams Career Accelerator blends those activities seamlessly into one cohesive, impactful program,” Gruys added.

The 20 incoming students started the program, along with their coursework, in conjunction with the start of the Fall 2023 semester which began on Monday, August 28.

About Cleveland State University:
Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is a public research institution located in the heart of Northeast Ohio with 16,000-plus students, ten colleges and schools, and more than 175 academic programs. Learn more at csuohio.edu or contact pr@csuohio.edu.