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I CAN Center of
Excellence!
I CAN Center of Excellence is a
program developed to motivate students of all ages to view higher
education as necessary, desirable, and obtainable.
The I CAN Center of Excellence
program is developing, implementing, and promoting a college access
program in the seven county region of Marion, Delaware, Union,
Morrow, Hardin, Wyandot and Crawford. The program started in 1998 as
a partnership between The Marion Rotary Club and The Ohio State
University at Marion and serviced the Marion
City School system. In 2001, the
program was expanded to all Marion
County schools. In 2006, the successful program expanded to the seven county
region serviced by The Ohio State University at
Marion and Marion
Technical College. Over 150
students have received Last Dollar Grant scholarships and hundreds
more have received assistance in getting to college.
The I CAN Center of Excellence
message is simple, "Have dreams, go to school, work hard, and
graduate. Then, all things are possible."
Goals
Through the I CAN Center of
Excellence we hope to:
- Increase
the number of students who remain in high school
- Increase
the number of students who pursue education after high school
- Support
the school systems and collaborate with colleges
- Improve
the communities in the 7 county area with regard to economic,
social and workforce development issues.
Programs
I CAN Center of
Excellence programs include:
-
Curriculum activities/materials for all elementary grades
-
Happily Ever After
book for elementary students
- Middle
school career and h.s. preparation programs and 8th Grade
Tours
- Summer
college tours for students/parents
-
Scholarship camp
- ACT/SAT
test preparation programs
- Essay
writing and application assistance programs
-
Advisors/mentors in high schools
- “College
101” information programs for students/parents
-
Financial aid information and FAFSA completion programs
-
Last-Dollar grants
Vision
The I CAN Regional Center of
Excellence's vision is to replicate existing successful programs
offered by I CAN Center of Excellence of Marion
County and expand them throughout the seven county region and develop new
programs.
The I CAN Center of Excellence
will serve as a model for the formation of additional regional
access centers. Documenting the formation of I CAN shows its
development through the years.
The Dean's Council for the Ohio
State University Regional Campuses is following the organization’s
development and implementation with the goal of developing regional
access centers at all the regional campuses.
The I CAN Center of Excellence
has wide support from and collaborates with many public and private sectors in the
seven counties.
Volunteers
- Motivate
and encourage all children to stay in school and pursue
post-secondary education, to make them and their parents aware
of the benefits of post-secondary education, and to help them
with the college process.
- Advise
families and their children regarding how to find ways to pay
for post secondary education.
- Provide
last dollar grant assistance as individually required, to
qualified students who have demonstrated financial need and
who gain admittance to an accredited two-year or four-year
program of study.
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