Give to Tri-C

New Pantry on Eastern Campus opens

Thank you to contributors Alan and Barbara Rosskamm and the Meisel & Pesses Family Foundation

The Eastern Campus Food Pantry was dedicated on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, completing the Tri-C Foundation goal to modernize and expand the pantries on all campuses. Generous gifts from Alan and Barbara Rosskamm and the Meisel & Pesses Family Foundation were honored during the ribbon cutting.

The Rosskamms’ commitment helped fund capital costs to design and equip an accessible, new pantry space in the student lounge area on the Eastern Campus. A commitment from the Meisel & Pesses Family Foundation will provide immediate use dollars to stock the Eastern Campus pantry. The commitment also establishes an endowed fund that generates income to stock and operate the pantry location in the future. 

For years, food insecurity has been an unfortunate fact of life for many Tri-C students. During the 2023-2024 academic year, 2,655 students made 12,559 campus pantry visits — a 47% increase in visits from the previous year.

“We greatly appreciate how both of these investments address how multiple factors potentially affect a student’s ability to pursue and complete their education,” said Tri-C President Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D.. “These gifts do more than feed hungry students — they provide a solution to ensure those students stay on a path toward a stable career and a better life for themselves and their families.”

Tri-C and KeyBank Unveil New Name for Advanced Technology Training Center at Metro Campus

Partnership reflects commitment to supporting students and employers with enhanced workforce preparation

One of the largest technology training complexes in Ohio, located at Tri-C’s Metropolitan Campus bears a new name: The KeyBank Advanced Technology Training Center. The longstanding partnership between KeyBank and Tri-C was recognized during a Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 ceremony. The renaming honors the most recent grant to help fill critical workforce needs in Northeast Ohio. This partnership introduces youth to careers in high-demand fields, prepares people for jobs with family-sustaining wages and meets the holistic needs of the community through housing, food security and wraparound services.

Tri-C opened the LEED Gold certified building in October 2012, where workforce education links to the latest technology. It is home to more than 60 credit and non-credit training programs offered through Tri-C's Workforce Community and Economic Development (WCED) Division.

KeyBank and the KeyBank Foundation support Tri-C in many ways. The KeyBank Public Safety Training Center at the Western Campus, home to the College's police and fire academies, was dedicated in 2016. KeyBank is also the presenting sponsor of Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland and supports life-changing student scholarships.

Learn more here, and find more photos on the Tri-C Facebook page.

Entrepreneur, Investor Daymond John is Headliner at 2024 Tri-C Presidential Scholarship Luncheon

2024 event raises scholarship money to help students pursue educational and entrepreneurial dreams

Entrepreneur, investor, author and CEO Daymond John wowed the crowd as he shared success stories and helped the Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) Foundation raise funds for students during its Presidential Scholarship Luncheon.

The Foundation's 2024 Presidential Scholarship Luncheon, presented by PNC Bank, raised more than $1 million in critical funds to help Tri-C students in need achieve their academic goals. John served as the keynote speaker and Tri-C President Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D facilitated the dialogue with John, who is recognized as one of today’s leading keynote speakers.

Since inception in 1992, the luncheon has raised $25 million to help students with financial needs pursue higher education.

Thank you to the event's co-chair sponsors AT&T, A Taste of Excellence, Brewer-Garrett, Consolidated Solutions, Steve and Dana Demetriou, Keene Inc., the Lerner Foundation, Medical Mutual and Thompson Hine LLP.

Find more event coverage here.

With Nearly $3 Million Grant, Mellon Foundation Extends Support for Humanities Students

Support provides access to four-year humanities degrees for students with limited means

When it launched in 2015, the Cleveland Humanities Collaborative sought to build on the academic work of high-performing humanities students at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) by providing them with support services and learning opportunities as they transitioned into — and completed — bachelor's degree programs at Case Western Reserve University.
 
Nine years later, the Mellon Foundation is providing nearly $3 million in additional support to CWRU and Tri-C for the program, which now includes students and faculty from Lakeland Community College and Lorain County Community College.
 
In all, the Mellon Foundation's commitment to the collaborative — through CWRU and Tri-C — exceeds $6.5 million. The foundation's first three grants established a pathway for community college students pursuing Associate of Arts degrees to transfer to Case Western Reserve and expanded opportunities for CWRU graduate students in the humanities to become involved in the collaborative's programming. This work advances the both institutions' commitment to the humanities. Learn more about this outstanding program here.

Continuing Scholars' Model Earns Historic Combined Gift of $6.8 million for Tri-C/CSU

Grant will continue funding through 2031

The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation has bestowed a landmark grant of approximately $3.3 million upon the Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) and approximately $3.5 million upon Cleveland State University (CSU) to further advance the renowned Mandel Continuing Scholars Program. The funding totaling $6.8 million guarantees continued program operations and facilitates long-term planning—bringing exciting prospects for students exploring their transfer options to pursue a bachelor's degree and ensuring a seamless and successful transition.

The Mandel Continuing Scholars Program, initiated in 2017, is a rigorous pathway for Tri-C's Mandel Scholars Academy graduates, propelling them to Cleveland State University's prestigious Mandel Honors College. The program has already successfully matriculated 110 Tri-C Mandel Scholar alumni to CSU, while 254 students have completed the Mandel Continuing Scholars Program at Tri-C. With renewed support from the Mandel Foundation for eight years extending into 2031, more students will benefit from this exceptional pipeline program.

Andy and Adriana Randall lead the way to more student scholarships

Trustee and Foundation board member and member emeritus Andrew E. Randall knows that Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) is an “incredibly important institution.” He has been an ongoing contributor since he attended his first Presidential Scholarship Luncheon in 1997. His wife, Adriana Randall, enrolled in basic courses at Western Campus in the 1990s before transferring to Cleveland State University. These early encounters with Tri-C cemented the couple’s lasting commitment to the College and our students.

Andrew, president and CEO of Cleveland Private Trust, joined the Foundation board in 1996. He served as chairperson from 2002-2004 before being named a director emeritus. He rejoined the Foundation board in 2018. He was also appointed to the College Board of Trustees in 2010 and has just completed his second five-year term. This multifaceted service to Tri-C has created a significant impact on student access and success.

During his tenure, Andrew has worked with three College presidents.

Read more about the Randalls and how they support Tri-C students. 

Your Impact

Tri-C is a driving force for the economic prosperity and future of our region. Your support for student success through the Tri-C Foundation is an investment toward a thriving Northeast Ohio now and for years to come.

Did you know.... 49% of Tri-C’s student population is eligible for the Pell Grant, indicating high economic need. Even through Cuyahoga Community College is the most affordable institution in the state of Ohio, without scholarship support, many students would not be able to afford the cost of tuition. 

Students earning degrees and credentials from Tri-C can move themselves and their families from poverty to prosperity.

Office of Resource Development and Tri-C Foundation

Cuyahoga Community College Foundation is a separate 501c(3) organization established in 1973. The mission of the Tri-C Foundation is to provide resources for advancing student success at Cuyahoga Community College and to transform the lives of those Tri-C serves. The vision is to ensure Tri-C has the resources needed to help every student learn, thrive and succeed and to create a prosperous community for all.