Ashland University to Offer Courses as Part of Grove City Center for Higher Education

Ashland University will be one of six colleges and universities offering courses this fall as part of the new city of Grove City Center for Higher Education.

Dwight McElfresh, dean of the newly created Founders School of Continuing Education at Ashland University, said Ashland will be offering a superintendent’s licensure cohort and professional development workshops this fall as part of this new partnership program.

“We will start with this cohort and professional development workshops and are anticipating offering additional classes in the fall of 2011, including a Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Endorsement program,” McElfresh said. “We are pleased to be a part of this partnership program that provides a broad base of educational opportunities.”

McElfresh said anyone interested in taking Ashland University superintendent’s licensure or professional development workshops at the city of Grove City Center for Higher Education should contact the partnership office at 1-877-572-GROW (4769).

A grand opening ribbon cutting and education fair for the partnership will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 17 at the South-Western Career Academy, 4750 Big Run South Road in Grove City.

“This is only the second such program in Ohio and will allow schools to share classrooms, academic administration, staff and equipment,” said Grove City Mayor Richard “Ike” Stage.

The partnership will operate initially at the South-Western Career Academy with founding partners Ashland University, Columbus State Community College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Ohio Christian University, Otterbein University, the South-Western City Schools’ Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) program and the University of Toledo.

“The partnership members estimate that within the next 10 years as many as 3,000 students will attend classes annually,” Stage said. “Combined with the professors and administrative staff needed to support the students, the center will have an important, positive impact on Grove City’s economy.”

Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.