Cleveland State University is part of a statewide partnership, led by College Now Greater Cleveland, that has been selected to join Degrees When Due. This national initiative, sponsored by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), seeks to assist students who have some college credits to complete their degrees.

Ohio is one of twenty states participating in Degrees When Due, which disseminates best practices in degree reclamation and provides targeted support to reengage students who have paused or “stopped out” of college. This will include helping higher education institutions audit students’ previously earned and transfer credits to determine the most efficient pathway to graduation. The program will benefit the more than 136,000 individuals in Ohio who have been identified as having some college credits, but no awarded degree.

“Our Degrees When Due institutional and state partners are building a strong pathway to degree attainment for all students, including by providing an on-ramp for those who have paused their studies or ‘stopped-out,’” said IHEP President Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D. “IHEP enthusiastically welcomes the selected institutions and states to this effort. Through this initiative, they will increase student success, serve a diverse set of student populations, and join us in addressing one of higher education’s most pressing challenges: degree completion.”

Additional university partners in Ohio include: Bowling Green State University, Lorain County Community College, Sinclair Community College, Stark State College, University of Akron, University of Toledo, and University of Cincinnati, Blue Ash.

CSU currently partners with College Now on the (Re) Connect to College initiative. The program works to identify former CSU students who have “stopped out” and help them address their financial and academic needs so they can return to school and complete their degrees. Students are also provided with follow-up support to ensure that they are successful upon returning to college.

"Cleveland State is excited to be part of the Degrees When Due community of universities working to assist  students returning to college to complete their degrees,” says Peter Meiksins who is leading CSU’s participation in the project. “We hope to augment the efforts of our (Re) Connect to College program, learn from the other universities in the community and ultimately reach more former college students to help them complete their degrees."

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