Between them, the University of Akron and the Akron Public Schools shape the future for generations of Akron students and for the city as a whole. Their common mission to develop the talents of students puts a high premium on cooperation between the institutions. How close that partnership can be was illustrated Wednesday with the announcement of a new scholarship program by UA President Luis Proenza and David James, the superintendent of the Akron schools.
The Innovation Generation Scholarships would offer substantial tuition awards ($10,000 a year to study at the University of Akron) to any student in the district who meets the qualifying standards. Students must post a 3.0 grade point average and score 27 on the ACT, the college admissions test; a 3.5 GPA with an ACT score of 24; or rank in the top 10 percent of their high school class and score at least 26 on the ACT.
The scholarship program is both generous and well-timed. Rising college costs present a formidable barrier for many students at a time when an increasing number of jobs require some form of post-secondary education. The tuition grant would be a substantial boost to families unable to take on college debt even as Ohio shifts more of the cost of higher education to students.
For its part, the school district will transfer to the university the former Central-Hower High School, which closed in 2006. The plan to house the Early College High School, a new STEM high school and sections of the UA College of Education in the building located on the university campus underscores the necessary collaboration between the district and university. The more reason for the Statehouse to expedite the legislation to implement the quid pro quo.
The initiative holds great promise. For many students, the scholarship may be an opening to college or the incentive to achieve better grades. Estimates, based on 2010 ACT data, are that 105 students qualify for the award — which seems a rather low figure for a 22,000-student district. For the two institutions, the challenge is to generate competitive performance that will ensure a stream of high-caliber students into the university.
