For Immediate Release: April 27, 2006
Contact Persons: Kimberly Gormley or MorraLee Holzapfel, 614.947.3500
 
Ohio College Access Network Welcomes New Members
 
COLUMBUS - The Ohio College Access Network (OCAN) is expanding beyond its traditional 36 member programs by offering membership eligibility to organizations and education institutions across the state that are working in tandem with OCAN to provide Ohio students the opportunity to access and succeed in college.
 
Traditional Member programs are non-profit, community focused programs that interact with students and their families at a local level.  OCAN's new membership structure has three additional levels including: 1) Associate Member organizations or programs that receive federal or local funding and offers services that include or differ from Traditional Member programs; 2) Affiliate Member educational institutions or associations that shares the commitment of OCAN to increase college access for all Ohioans; and 3) Supporting Members partners with whom OCAN finds an important and necessary alignment to advance the work of statewide college access.
 
“We are excited to welcome important partners to OCAN because each new member demonstrates a strong commitment to increasing postsecondary aspiration, attainment and completion in Ohio.” said Reginald A. Wilkinson, President and CEO of the Ohio College Access Network. “By expanding our membership to like-minded organizations and post-secondary institutions, the Network can help jumpstart Governor Strickland's initiative to increase the number of college graduates by 230,000 over the next ten years."
 
The OCAN Board of Directors voted this week to admit the following organizations, institutions and programs as new members in the appropriate categories.
 
Associate Members
        Educational Talent Search, Washington State Community College
 
Affiliate Members
        Columbus State Community College
        Cuyahoga Community College
        John Carroll University
        Lorain County Community College
        The Ohio State University
        Sinclair Community College
        University of Akron, Wayne College
        Youngstown State University
 
Supporting Members
        The Ohio Tuition Trust Authority
        Student Lending Works
 
OCAN is currently accepting applications for membership.  The Network’s hope is to link all associations and institutions with the goal of increasing access within the state of Ohio.  To learn more about the membership levels or to submit an application, visit OCAN’s website at www.ohiocan.org.
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OCAN was founded in 1999, by KnowledgeWorks Foundation, in collaboration with the Ohio Board of Regents, the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Business Roundtable.  OCAN works to establish college access programs across the state and is the first statewide coordinating body for college access programs in the country. The goal of the organization is to help more Ohio students pursue postsecondary education through the work of local college access programs, which provide financial aid advising, last dollar grants, career guidance, and other services.