October 3, 2008

CONTACT: Kimberly Gormley, Director, Marketing & Communications, Ohio College Access Network
Email: Gormleyk@ohiocan.org; Office: 614.947.3504; Mobile: 614.668.2954

Three Ohio College Access Network Member Organizations Honored

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio College Access Network (OCAN) is pleased to announce that three college access organizations across Ohio have demonstrated Principles of Good Practice with exceptional success providing low-income, underserved youth or adults the opportunity to go to college.  

Cleveland Scholarship Program and Lima/Allen County College Access Program have earned the Seal of Excellence designation. Cleveland Scholarship Program provides advisory services to more than 23,500 individuals and awards more than $2.8 million in scholarships each year. Lima/Allen County College Access Program provides several exemplary services to students, including one-on-one counseling through advisors in the local schools, classroom presentations, and workshops to parents, students, and adults on the college process and early awareness activities such as enrichment trips and career explorations.

An invitation to apply for the Seal of Excellence was extended only to those high integrity communities who previously earned the Seal of Good Practice. The OCAN Seal of Excellence further recognizes organizations that include career and financial aid advisory services, comprehensive college application assistance, a local resource center and Last Dollar Grants/Scholarships. By earning the Seal, these college access programs have established credibility for the next two years when the Seal expires and reapplication is required.  

Also an important accomplishment, the Ironton College Access Program was the recipient of the Seal of Good Practice. Ironton College Access Program is committed to increase the number of Ironton City School graduates who go on to receive a postsecondary education.  The OCAN Seal of Good Practice was developed to establish a model for how well-managed college access programs should operate. To be eligible for the Seal, OCAN Traditional Member Programs must have demonstrated that they are healthy and trusted organizations that attain five key areas of organizational operations including organized strategic planning and a clear mission, appropriate governance, stable financial management, strong organizational policy, and an established data tracking mechanism that measures program outcomes.

“Both the Seal of Excellence and the Seal of Good Practice provide college access programs the chance to show their communities that they are providing services of the highest quality…furthermore, while I am please with all of Ohio’s college access programs, I am especially proud of those who have earned a Seal,” said Dr. Reginald Wilkinson, OCAN President & CEO.

Both Seals are valid for three years.

The Ohio College Access Network (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 nation. 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.  Currently, 36 college access programs serve nearly 200 of Ohio’s 612 school districts, and 17 private/parochial schools in 46 counties touching nearly 175,000 students annually.  For more information visit: www.ohiocan.org.