Opening Doors of Opportunity provides:

• Parent and student counseling with regards to higher education issues
• Counseling for adults considering college or further educational opportunities
• Early awareness programming in the county middle schools
• Assistance with Financial Aid nights, county College Fair, Career Fair
• FAFSA and scholarship assistance
• Speaker for local community organizations

Program Background

Opening Doors of Opportunity, the Holmes County College Access Program, located in Millersburg, Ohio and serving all of Holmes County, was formally organized in March 2002. Its mission is to encourage all individuals to meet their highest potential as life-long learners. The program is funded by grants from the Ohio College Access Network and the Holmes County Education Foundation.  The Holmes County Education Foundation serves as fiscal agent.

The program’s focus is on building early awareness and business/community support to facilitate the message that further education is both necessary and attainable, as a scholarship program already exists in the community through the Holmes County Education Foundation, one of the organizations involved in the successful planning and start-up of Opening Doors of Opportunity.

The program boasts a strong partnership with the Holmes county school districts: East Holmes district through activities at Hiland High School and West Holmes School district at the West Holmes High School. Through these relationships the focus is to assist the districts and guidance counselors in providing information regarding careers, college choice, financial aid, and scholarships to their students.

The Holmes County College Access program is proud to be a member of the Holmes County Chamber of Commerce as well as a participant in Leadership Holmes County.

Program Goals and Objectives

1.      To implement more early awareness activities serving community students.

2.      To implement activities designed to improve student financial literacy.

3.      To establish Last Dollar Scholarships.

4.      To build more business/community support.

5.      To promote the Educational Opportunity Resource Center located at the Cary House office location of the College Access Program.

6.      To implement fund raising efforts to sustain the program past the OCAN grant periods.

Staff and Volunteers
Ann Gastier is the current College Access Advisor.  It is a part-time position. Ann works from her office, located in the historic Cary House where there are four computer stations available with internet access and other resources. She also is in the local schools.  The Holmes County College Access Program, Opening Doors of Opportunity, has an active advisory committee composed of representatives from the schools and local business community and has strong support from the Holmes County Education Foundation.

For more information contact:

Ms. Ann Hadley Gastier
Access Advisor
Opening Doors of Opportunity
Holmes County College Access Program
114 N. Clay Street, Level 2
Millersburg, OH 44654

College Access Program Map