As College Costs Rise, Tri-C Invests in Students

As the return on investment for a costly four-year college degree seems to come into question a lot more lately, a spotlight is shining on places like Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). In fact, Tri-C provides its quality education at the lowest cost per credit hour in Ohio.

While the community college’s North Star is academics — offering hundreds of courses in practical career and technical programs — it also aims to support students from all walks of life and help them succeed. The Tri-C Foundation is the force behind the latter objective, and it is uniquely focused on raising money to advance student success.

Megan O’Bryan, president of the Tri-C Foundation, says that philanthropic funds support programs that break down barriers and help students succeed.

“When people think of us, they think of scholarships — and do we fund a lot of those,” she explains. “About $6 million last year ... But our donors also help students in a lot of different ways.”

One of these innovative programs addresses food insecurity among students. A stunning 40% of Tri-C’s student population reports being food insecure at times throughout the year. To that end, the foundation has worked with several donors to establish food pantries on all four of their campuses. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank also is a partner in the program.

“These students juggle a lot to persist in their studies,” explains O’Bryan. “If hunger is one big barrier we can remove, we want to do that.

“The greater story is the resilience of these students who power through with their studies,” she continues. “Many are simultaneously working one or two jobs.”

Each pantry is designed to be welcoming, bright and well stocked. They are open to all students, and no proof of need is required — only a student ID must be presented.

“The Tri-C Food Pantry has been a lifesaver for me,” says one student enrolled in the School of Nursing and Health Professions at Metro Campus. “As a single parent and full-time student working part-time, I often had to choose between paying bills and buying groceries for my family. Having convenient access to healthy food on campus eased my stress and helped me stay focused on my classes.”

O’Bryan says the pantries are a lifeline where students can also connect with other social services.

“If a student is food insecure, there are probably other things they need help with,” explains O’Bryan. “They also are likely to experience anxiety and depression. They deal with a lot.

“If grit and persistence are qualities employers are looking for, our students surely have it,” she adds. “Many are first generation college students, and they are navigating this on their own — they are a pretty resilient bunch.”

Last year, the pantries had over 16,000 visits — a 28% increase from the previous year. O’Bryan anticipates this need will continue to go up, and they will continue to meet demand.

“We are still actively raising money for this response,” says O’Bryan.