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Good afternoon, and happy Friday!
What a busy week we've had welcoming all students back to campus and back to class. It takes a campus to raise a graduate, they say. Thanks to all members of our campus community for supporting WC students in the many wonderful ways that you do.
Below are a few brief highlights from the week.
Wilmington College Receives $93K in ODHE Grant Funds to Support Mental Health Services on Campus
Wilmington College has been allocated $93,276.00 in funding support from the Ohio Department of Higher Education for mental health services and programming in fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
A bit of background: In House Bill 33, Governor DeWine, in partnership with the General Assembly, passed the first state budget in Ohio history that included a dedicated line item for college and university mental health support. Under this new line item, $20 million will be distributed to Ohio’s public and independent not-for-profit campuses over the next two fiscal years.
This assistance will be provided in the form of direct aid to institutions to support the ongoing demand for mental health support services for students. Funds may: 1) increase campus-wide knowledge and awareness of available care options; 2) increase access to, and availability of, care options; 3) remove barriers to care options; and 4) be leveraged to create long-term sustainability on campus and support collaborative, community-based programs and initiatives that can be sustained with community resources.
Congratulations to Kazi McDowell, Ana Lopez, and Sigrid Solomon for this great opportunity.
Announcing New Articulation Agreements with Northwest State Community College
Northwest State Community College (NSCC) and Wilmington College (WC) recently signed an articulation agreement that will allow students to transfer credits from an Associate of Applied Science in Agronomy at NSCC to a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with Agronomy Concentration, or an Associate of Applied Science in Agribusiness at NSCC to a Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture with Business Concentration at Wilmington College.
Per the Articulation Agreement between the two schools, students must meet the following criteria:
The WC B.S. degree in Agriculture with a concentration in Agronomy or Agricultural Business will be open to NSCC students who have completed NSCC’s Associate of Applied Science in Agronomy or Agribusiness.
Applicants will submit the following documents for admission to WC Main Campus
Application for Admission
Official college transcript(s) from NSCC and all other institutions in which the student was enrolled.
Students wishing to Transfer to WC from NSCC under this agreement must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
NSCC Ag lead faculty Kayla Miller noted, “Wilmington College has a long-standing reputation of being the leading four-year, private academic institution for agricultural degrees in the state of Ohio. We are thrilled to build a bridge between our Agronomy and Agribusiness programs to theirs. A Bachelor’s degree is required to become a Certified Professional Agronomist; a desired career pathway for many of our Agronomy degree holders. This agreement gives NSCC agricultural studies learners the opportunity to continue their education at a private, in-state school. We hope to continue this partnership by creating a pathway to their agricultural education program in the near future.”
“Wilmington College is delighted to partner with Northwest State Community College to offer students new degree opportunities in such high-demand areas as Agriculture. We appreciate this great new partnership and the unique educational and career pathways it provides. We are excited to welcome Northwest State graduates into our Wilmington College Community. We eagerly anticipate working with Northwest State in developing additional agreements in other academic areas in the future," said Corey Cockerill, Interim College President and Professor of Agriculture & Communication Arts.
Thank you to Russ Kincaid and Chad McKay for facilitating this new partnership.
Wilmington College Supports Community Workforce Development Efforts
I am excited to announce Wilmington College as a partner and sponsor of the Clinton County Workforce Development Group (CCWDG), which seeks to hire a new workforce development director to lead regional efforts in career and professional development. Wilmington College joins other sponsors of this initiative, including all four Clinton County school districts, Clinton Memorial Hospital, and OhioMeansJobs Clinton County.
If funded, the director, as an employee of the Southern Ohio Educational Service Center (SOESC), would work closely with the Clinton County Workforce Collaborative (CCWC) working groups and the Clinton County Business Advisory Council (BAC) to drive multiple initiatives, including:
Developing the Talent Pipeline: Collaborating with employers and educators to ensure relevant skill programs are available to students, and guiding students in understanding their aptitudes and translating them into career paths. This involves career exploration experiences, work-based learning opportunities, and standardized industry connections.
Engaging with the Current Workforce: Connecting employers with service providers to address training and upskilling needs of existing employees, coordinating job fairs, and promoting publicly-available training opportunities.
Engaging with Local Employers: Maintaining awareness of regional workforce needs, linking employers to relevant services, supporting recruitment and retention activities, and increasing community awareness of local career opportunities.
Coordinating Clinton County Workforce Collaborative Efforts: Ensuring broad participation, operational support, and regular meetings among CCWC members to foster collaboration and progress.
Wilmington College has been a proud participant in CCWC programming since 2021. Thank you to Sylvia Stevens and Ellen Short for representing WC in this partnership.
Alumni Cross Country Race to be Held This Weekend
From XC Coach Ron Combs: It's Back! Come run or walk the 2-mile cross-country course on Saturday, August 26, located behind the Center for Sports Sciences building. There will be a high school/middle school meet in the morning, with the Alumni Cross Country Race to follow at noon.
"We will have pizza, drinks, and some WC swag to give out after the race. Even if you don't want to run or walk-come and hang out."
Equine Business Management Professor and WC Equestrian Team Coach Selected as Elite International Judge
The largest Paint Horse Show outside of the United States, EURO PAINT, took place this week in Rieden, Germany. Between August 19-27, the stables of Gut Matheshof were filled with Europe's most successful Paint Horses competing in numerous classes for the European Championship titles. Wilmington College's own Daren Wright was selected to serve on the prestigious judging team for the event, alongside renowned judges Clint Fullerton (USA), Helga Hommel (GER), Maj-Britt LeMay (ESP), and Rick LeMay (ESP).
Congratulations to Daren on this extraordinary honor!
Position Updates within Human Resources
I am happy to announce that Terron Cruey will be joining Wilmington College on September 25 as the new Director of Human Resources. Terron comes to Wilmington with nearly 20 years of experience in Human Resources management within the healthcare and non-profit social services fields. Please help welcome Terron when she arrives on campus next month! Thank you to the search committee and those who participated in the interview process.
I hope you all enjoy the weekend ahead and stay cool (quite literally).
In peace and gratitude,
Corey
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