Stark State College has long been a leader in establishing innovative partnerships with businesses and institutions of higher education – large and small, near and far.

Through a strong tradition of providing credit and noncredit educational and training services to employers and residents, the College plays a vital role in the economic growth and development of the region. The mayor of Canton, for instance, looks to Stark State as an indispensable partner:

“I’m amazed at how flexible Stark State is in being able to quickly ramp up to meet the needs of current and potential employers,” said Mayor William Healy II. “Stark State is one of the greatest assets I have in selling Stark County to potential businesses.”

The College’s business partners include

• Sandia National Laboratories
  Since 1980 Sandia has hired more than 55 Stark State engineering technology grads, including the 38 who currently work there. “At Sandia we’re asked to hire the best and the brightest – and we find that at Stark State,” said Brenda Long, CAD design drafter for Sandia and a Stark State civil engineering graduate.
• The Software Guild/The Learning House
  An immersive, skill-based experience that results in associate degrees in computer engineering technology and webpage, digital/multimedia and information resources design. “Stark State has proven its commitment to deliver students into the workforce with the skills that employers are seeking,” said Anthony Hughes, president of the Guild. “It’s refreshing to collaborate with a progressive organization like Stark State, which recognizes the value of competency-based learning and is willing to step up its investment in the regional knowledge economy through partnerships like this.”
• Ariel Corporation
  A custom training agreement between Ariel and Stark State is helping the company expand its natural gas compression business locally and around the world, said Melinda Embrey, of Ariel. “Stark State,” she said, “is able to work at the speed of business.”
• FirstEnergy Corporation
  The Power Systems Institute partners Ohio Edison and Stark State in a two-year program providing classroom and hands-on training for lineworkers and substation electricians. Participants earn an associate degree of applied science from Stark State and a possible job offer from Ohio Edison.
• General Motors, Toyota, Caterpillar, Honda
  Manufacturer-approved curriculums prepare Stark State automotive students for in-demand industry jobs.
• The Timken Company and TimkenSteel
  Stark State and The Timken Co. have long-established partnerships for both apprenticeships and industrial training and the College also provides industrial training for TimkenSteel, which spun off from its former parent company in 2014.

The College’s education partners include

• Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
  A 15-year partnership – that includes NEOMED- provided human cadavers for Stark State anatomy and physiology classes – provides a high-quality, rigorous undergraduate science program with a hands-on laboratory experience. NEOMED offers internships to Stark State offers College Credit Plus to students at Bio-Med Science Academy, a STEM+M high school located on NEOMED’s campus.
•  The Ohio State University (OSU)
  A formal transfer agreement between Ohio State and Stark State paves the way for Stark State students who earn an associate of arts or associate of science degree with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher to earn guaranteed admission to Ohio State with junior standing. Stark State College, according to Dr. E. Gordon Gee, former president of The Ohio State University, is “the front door to the American dream.”
•  Many other colleges and universities, in Ohio and across the nation
  For the most up-to-date list of all Stark State’s education partners, go to www.starkstate.edu/transfer.