September 16, 2008

CONTACT: Kimberly Gormley, Director, Marketing & Communications
Office: 614.947.3504, Cell: 614.668.2954
Email: gormleyk@ohiocan.org

College Access Practitioners and Organizations Receive Awards at 2008 Ohio College Access and Success Conference

Columbus, Ohio - Four unique college access awards were recently given to individuals and organizations who have demonstrated a desire to help more students access and pay for a college education. Celebrating their dedication and commitment to college access in Ohio, awardees were honored by their colleagues at the Closing Dinner of the 2008 Ohio College Access & Success Conference.

• Yolanda Hart of the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative was awarded the Wayne F. White Outstanding College Access Staff Award. This award was developed to recognize the hard work and innovation of an individual working on behalf of an OCAN-member local college access program. Hart is the Coordinator of the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative Community Based College Resource Centers and has gained a variety of leadership qualities that made her an excellent recipient of this award.

• Lake/Geauga Education Assistance Foundation (LEAF) was awarded the Thomas L. Conlan Local College Access Program Award. This award is given to an OCAN-member local college access program for displaying excellence and creativity in inspiring students to pursue postsecondary education. LEAF embodies these qualities as they practice a powerful mentality and philosophy that success is found in working together to build confidence within students.

• Martin J. Maliwesky, Dean of Enrollment Services at Columbus State Community College was awarded the Jeanette Grasselli Brown College Access Volunteer Award. This award recognizes the dedication and commitment of an individual volunteering to support the work of the college access field. Maliwesky is an individual well deserving of this award, as his commitment is wide-spread and his drive and dedication evident.

• Lima High School - Lima/Allen County College Access Program was the recipient of the William Over College Access Collaboration Award. This award recognizes a program that embraces the opportunity to develop strong relationships and collaborative efforts within the community. This program’s focus on the opportunity for students to achieve in pursuing a postsecondary education proves that they are a great recipient of this award.

At the Annual Conference, recognition was also given to the family of David Swedlow who recently passed away. Swedlow was a life-long-learner and committed to education and college access. Through his leadership, many of his colleagues were inspired to continue in their efforts to help students go to college. Unveiled at the Conference, the professional development training at Ohio College Access Network (OCAN) will now be called the Dr. David B. Swedlow Leadership Series. The annual year-long Swedlow Leadership Series will begin on Wednesday August 13, 2008 where David’s enthusiasm and contributions to college access in Ohio will be remembered.


The 2008 Ohio College Access & Success Conference was developed by OCAN and the Student Access & Success Coordinating Council of Ohio (SASCCO). The two organizations work together to educate college access practitioners, leaders and community partners that help more Ohioans access and succeed in education and life. The three-day conference theme, KnowHow2GO, tied in activities associated with the college access awareness marketing campaign KnowHow2GO (www.KnowHow2GOOhio.org). The conference convened key educational practitioners including college access personnel from OCAN, GEAR UP, TRIO and Ohio College Tech Prep programs; middle and high school guidance counselors, principals and superintendents; and two-year and four-year college officials including staff from financial aid, admissions, student affairs and the president’s offices to talk about important educational issues facing students today. The educational breakout sessions included topics that fell within four tracks to engage a wide variety of college access professionals during the conference.