KeyBank Classrooms for STEM Education funded by $1.25M KeyBank Grant
                    
CLEVELAND - More than 140 juniors and seniors attending MC²STEM High School in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District will move on August 26 to their new classrooms on the Cleveland State University (CSU) campus.   The KeyBank Classrooms for STEM Education  (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), made possible by a $1.25M grant from the KeyBank Foundation, supports STEM education and promotes enrollment in higher education. 

In announcing the students’ move to their new classrooms at CSU this week, CMSD’s Chief Portfolio Officer, Christine Fowler-Mack, said District officials are excited for the students and grateful to KeyBank Foundation and CSU, who join other signature STEM partners, including General Electric, the Great Lakes Science Center, NASA, the STEM Hub and the Jewish Community Federation in supporting Cleveland’s MC²STEM programs.

“Our STEM students are fortunate to have such a diverse and committed group of signature partners to support them,” said Fowler-Mack.  “Having KeyBank and CSU join this distinguished pool of supporter speaks volumes about the value and growth of STEM education at CMSD.”

The MC²STEM High School curriculum provides strong academic, analytic, and problem solving skills, which typically result in a higher number of high school students going on to higher education.  Although CMSD has had a strong STEM program for six years, the fact that too few STEM students were going on to college played a part in formation of a STEM partnership between KeyBank, CMSD and CSU.

KeyBank Foundation's Chair Margot Copeland said as students themselves expressed a strong desire for a college campus immersion experience, KeyBank officials were compelled to act.

“Even some of the most motivated and prepared students feel reluctant to apply to college, simply because they cannot envision themselves on a college campus,” said Copeland.  “In forming the partnership, we felt strongly that housing MC²STEM High School on CSU's campus would give CMSD students a taste of college life and help them to better see themselves succeeding in a higher education environment.”

The premise for the partnership between KeyBank, CMSD and CSU was to enable MC²STEM High School students to navigate a college campus and to gain support for application and acceptance to college.

“The Campus International School, which opened on CSU’s campus in 2010, has been a great success, and I know that the MC²STEM school will only build on that success,” said CSU President Ronald Berkman. “CMSD and Key have been invaluable partners in bringing this move from concept to reality.”  

To turn this vision into reality, Copeland said, Cleveland State University officials agreed to provide nine classrooms on their campus, including a science lab in Rhodes Tower West and a Science/Chemistry Lab in CSU’s new science building.  The classroom space, officially named the "KeyBank Classrooms for STEM Education," will be concentrated in Rhodes Tower West, although students will also have access to a science/chemistry lab in CSU’s new science building, to science/technology classrooms and to a cafeteria.

MC²STEM High School students move to their new classroom space on Monday, August 26 and will have immediate access to extended resources on the CSU campus.   Families, media and the community-at-large will be invited to tour the new MC2STEM High School at an upcoming celebration of the KeyBank/CMSD/CSU partnership and the official opening of KeyBank Classrooms for STEM Education on November 18. 2013. 

For information, contact:

Roseann Canfora
District Communications Officer
Cleveland Metropolitan School District

216-647-6072
Roseann.Canfora@ClevelandMetroSchools.org