Tri-C President on Making Greater Cleveland Even Greater

Alex Johnson among local leaders weighing in on region’s future

As we continue to battle back from the COVID-19 pandemic, Greater Cleveland and the larger Northeast Ohio community face a recovery effort closely tied to issues already facing the region pre-pandemic: expanding the economy, addressing poverty and inequality, and improving access to education.

Cleveland Magazine recently interviewed a cross-section of local leaders, including Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) president Alex Johnson, to get potential solutions to many of the issues our city must now confront.

Johnson spoke about the need to do more for the region’s most vulnerable and pandemic-affected citizens — primarily people of color from lower income brackets.

“We can no longer afford simple fixes to aid our fellow citizens who struggle daily,” Johnson said. “Our response to this now more complex problem must reach beyond mere programmatic intervention to transform social, educational and economic systems.”

Families and children, he said, must have access to quality education and services.

“Educational systems must be unified in offering, without disruption, pre-K through postsecondary education that leads to economic prosperity. Parents should receive assistance with nutritional and housing needs to help them retain quality jobs.” 

Along with Johnson, the article featured Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish; Chris Ronayne, president of University Circle Inc.; Amy Brady, chief information officer of KeyBank; Gina Trebilcock, interim executive director of The Foundry; and Bill Koehler, CEO of Team NEO.

Click here to read the full article.

August 04, 2021

Erik Cassano, 216-987-3577 or erik.cassano@tri-c.edu