'The front door to the American dream'

Stark State College, according Dr. E. Gordon Gee, president of The Ohio State University, is “the front door to the American dream.”

Showered with Buckeye fanfare, Gee arrived on campus Wednesday to formally sign a transfer agreement between Ohio State and Stark State. Under the pact, Stark State students who earn an associate of arts or associate of science degree with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher are guaranteed admission to Ohio State with junior standing.

The transfer agreement is a “dramatic breakthrough” in affordable education, said Stark State President Dr. Para Jones, with students able to save 75 percent in tuition costs their freshmen and sophomore years.

“We value greatly the relationships we have with our community colleges, and Stark State means a lot to me personally,” Gee said. “Without Stark State, Ohio State can’t exist. You are my front door, and for that, I am truly grateful.”

Along with proving OSU a continued leader in providing access to Ohioans for bachelor’s degrees, the agreement is a “major coup” for Stark State and its students, faculty and staff, said Dr. Michael Thomas, president of Stark State’s board of trustees. In fact, all of Northeast Ohio will see benefits, he said, when the degree-holders return to the area.

“This offers an opportunity to students who work hard, persist and move on,” Gee said. “They can get a world-class education, a great job and grow their families and communities.”