Columbus State Community College and Capital University Announce Partnership Providing Full Tuition for CSCC Transfer Students at Capital

As part of its commitment to make a college education available to as many students as possible, Capital University will expand its ongoing partnership with Columbus State Community College to now include scholarships that cover full tuition and mandatory fees for eligible CSCC students who transfer to Capital to pursue bachelor’s degrees.

This is the latest expansion of Capital’s innovative Main Street Scholarship which seeks to make education accessible for all. The expansion to CSCC transfer students who meet Pell Grant eligibility requirements, will begin with students enrolling at Capital in fall 2023. Main Street Scholarships are annual and renewable, subject to GPA requirements and full-time enrollment.

“Motivated students shouldn’t be held back by financial difficulties,” said David Kaufman, Capital University president. “We’re proud to partner with Columbus State as part of our ongoing commitment to empower all undergraduate students to achieve success through a Capital University education.

“I’m not aware of another partnership like this, in which a two-year public institution and a four-year private institution sat down to create a transfer-specific financial aid model to maximize student success.”

“Student debt is avoidable through our Preferred Pathway 2+2 partnerships,” said David Harrison, president of Columbus State Community College. “This new opportunity for Columbus State graduates to earn a tuition-free bachelor’s degree from Capital University is our strongest offer yet. This partnership will make a big difference for students and families.”

The Main Street Scholarship partnership is just the latest initiative between Columbus State and Capital. The Transfer Student Success Initiative, a product of the Foundations of Excellence Transfer Project, was a first-of-its-kind private/public partnership with Capital, Columbus State, and the Gardner Institute, specifically focused on meeting the unique needs of transfer students.

“This is a rare example of visionary leadership at a public two-year community college and a nearby private university coming together in a unique partnership to significantly expand opportunities for community college students to have a new opportunity for a high quality, affordable, residential, and student success-focused baccalaureate education,” said John Gardner, founder and executive chair of the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. “And all this without having to leave their local community. It’s exactly what we need more of in American higher education.”

Other recently expanded transfer student initiatives include a grant-funded partnership to provide housing for Columbus State students at Capital, an enhanced 2+2 academic program, a shared admission recruiter, and faculty collaboration between the two institutions.

First announced in October 2021, the original Main Street Scholarship promised a minimum of $20,000 annually to all first-time-in-college, full-time undergraduate students entering their first year of college at Capital, including transfer and international students. Every student who meets these criteria will qualify for a minimum annual award that enables more students to graduate debt-free or near debt-free.

In November 2022, Capital announced that incoming high-performing students with the greatest financial need could be eligible for scholarship money that covers up to full tuition and mandatory fees. This additional aid, starting with the fall 2023 semester, will be available to Ohio residents with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and an annual household income of less than $60,000.

“At Capital, we know too many students miss out on academic opportunities due to financial barriers, which then become barriers to academic success,” said Kaufman. “With the expansion of the Main Street Scholarship and the partnership with Columbus State, Capital has committed to leveling the playing field and creating a more diverse and equitable community through equal opportunity education.”

Capital University is both a Preferred Pathway and a Dual Admission partner with Columbus State.

• The Preferred Pathway at Columbus State gives students many options to start their bachelor’s degree debt-free. Students complete up to the first two years of requirements in many different majors and programs of study at Columbus State, then transfer seamlessly to complete their bachelor’s degree.
• Dual Admission students are enrolled at both Capital University and Columbus State, gaining immediate access to the campus resources of both institutions, including campus recreation, library, student organization, campus housing, and events. After completing an associate degree at Columbus State, students are guaranteed transfer admission to Capital to complete their bachelor’s degree.

The expansion of the Main Street Scholarship is just the latest in Capital’s commitment to student success and ensuring that all students have the best experience possible. Other initiatives, which will be available to Columbus State students who transfer to Capital to complete a bachelor’s degree, include:

• The Student Success Office advocates for students and families, works with students who may have difficulty transitioning to college and may be struggling with personal issues that could hinder academic progress. Student Success advisers are available to students who have indicated they need extra guidance and mentorship.
• The Academic Success Office provides all students with a wide range of transformative services, programs, and strategies to facilitate their development and critical thinking skills, empowering them to become increasingly confident and independent lifelong learners. The Academic Success team coordinates peer tutoring, academic coaching, and specialized group study workshops tailored to more challenging courses.
• Project IndiGo!, a network and technology platform introduced in 2020 that customizes classroom and extracurricular experiences, provides undergraduate students, faculty, and staff with an iPad and Apple Pencil and an expanded library of apps and tools.

Contact: Denise Russell
Director, Communications and Media Relations, Capital University
614-236-6196 / drussell@capital.edu

Contact: Brent Wilder
Director, Marketing and Communications, Columbus State Community College
614-287-5789 /bwilder5@cscc.edu