(North Canton, OH – Feb. 1, 2021) – Effective Feb. 1, the University of Mount Union will sublease Stark State College’s Alliance satellite facility for its academic programs through a unique public-private partnership to benefit students and the community.

Alliance Community Hospital built the facility for Stark State College’s use in 2015. Stark State College assisted the hospital in seeking and receiving more than $1 million in Clean Ohio grant funds, which the hospital used to raze the former South Arch Avenue building. Razing the former hospital structure made space for the state-of-the-art facility that Stark State leased for classroom space for the past six years. With growing numbers of students taking online classes or choosing to attend Stark State’s main campus, enrollment at the Alliance campus continued to decline.

Mount Union, which could benefit from additional classroom space, will sublease the building from Stark State for a short period of time, until a direct lease can be executed with Aultman Alliance. The University will use the facility as a general academic building, predominantly for allied health programs that have seen exponential growth on campus over the course of the past decade. This includes the institution’s expanding Department of Nursing, as well as graduate programs in physician assistant studies and physical therapy.

“We remain committed to serving the Alliance community with affordable, quality associate degree programs that lead to rewarding employment, just as we have for the past six decades,” said Stark State President Para M. Jones, PhD. “In 2015, Stark State was proud to partner with Aultman Alliance Community Hospital to improve its property and enhance the community through a Clean Ohio grant. We’re pleased that students and the community will continue to benefit from this wonderful facility.”

“The University of Mount Union remains committed to developing impactful partnerships within the Alliance and surrounding communities – such as this one with Stark State and Aultman Alliance – that foster growth and provide for mutually-beneficial opportunities and engagement,” said Mount Union President Tom Botzman, PhD. “Through our use of the Arch Avenue facility, we will not only have the opportunity to expand learning space for our growing allied health programs, but we will also be strengthening our well-established partnership with Aultman Alliance, both of which benefit our students through the enrichment of their classroom and hands-on learning experiences.”

“Aultman Alliance Community Hospital values our existing partnership with Stark State College, while we also look forward to continuing to expand our relationship with the University of Mount Union,” said Aultman Alliance Community Hospital CEO Ryan Jones. “We are pleased to continue offering our community a space to advance their skills, particularly as it relates to health sciences.”