December 20, 2007
Attracting the Best and Brightest:
Cleveland State University’s Fenn Academy
by Dave Patton, PhD, CPPA Director
(Published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Government
Innovators Network)
Cleveland State University has formed a partnership that
includes 31 Northern Ohio high schools, local businesses and the Fenn College
of Engineering at CSU to interest students in engineering and provide
scholarships to CSU. The Academy makes
presentations at area high schools, career days, and provides information to
students that show some interest in engineering. Scholarships are offered through corporate contributions and
local businesses help students see that engineering is something that would
prove interesting and something they could do.
Students qualify for the Fenn Academy by earning good grades
in a challenging mix of classes and can become Fenn Scholars at the end of
their junior year. As seniors they can
take classes for college credit. Fenn
College enrollments jumped 70 percent last year in large part as a result of
the Fenn Academy partnership.
Several of the components of the Fenn Academy idea exist in
Utah. The Utah System of Higher
Education and participating high schools offer the Utah Scholars Initiative
encouraging high school students to take more rigorous classes to prepare them
for college or careers. Students who
complete the program receive a designation on their diploma and could become
eligible for financial aid programs.
High schools in Utah also offer concurrent enrollment and advanced
placement courses that can help students earn college credit. The Cleveland State University program is
more targeted and provides students tangible rewards for completion. The Fenn Academy concept could be duplicated
for students interested in a wide variety of professions including teaching,
public service, business, physical science, and trade professions.
For more information, go to www.csuohio.edu/fennacademy
Heard of a great idea?
Tell us about it at policy@cppa.utah.edu
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