Franklin University Receives Choose Ohio First Grant

Contact:

Sherry Mercurio
Executive Director, Office of Community Relations
(614) 947-6581
Email: sherry.mercurio@franklin.edu

Franklin University, one of the leading educators of working adults, is pleased to announce its selection as a Choose Ohio First (COF) grant recipient. COF grant funding supports computer science and related fields and is provided by the State of Ohio and the Department of Higher Education (ODHE). The nearly $250,000 grant, in promotion of a five-year COF program, will help Franklin provide computer science scholarships in support of the University’s on-going efforts to improve Ohio’s workforce development capacity to innovate and grow our economy. 

Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program is designed to significantly strengthen Ohio’s competitiveness within Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEM) disciplines and STEM education. Choose Ohio First funds higher education and business collaborations that will have the most impact on Ohio’s position in world markets such as aerospace, medicine, computer technology and alternative energy. These collaborations will ultimately produce substantive improvements to the pipeline of STEM graduates and STEM educators in Ohio.

"Today’s announcement helps continue Franklin University’s long-standing workforce and economic development efforts," shared Dr. David Decker, President, Franklin University. "We look forward to using this funding to further our state's economic goals."

Selection as a Choose Ohio First grant recipient adds to the University’s growing reputation for excellence in STEM related fields.  In May 2019, Franklin University was recognized by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE) through academic year 2024.

For more information about Franklin University’s Computer Science, Information Systems, Web Development, Information Technology or Cybersecurity programs, visit https://bit.ly/2Ebdjbp

For more information on the state's Choose Ohio First program, visit https://www.ohiohighered.org/cof

For interviews at Franklin University, contact Sherry Mercurio, Executive Director, Office of Community Relations, at 614-947-6581 or sherry.mercurio@franklin.edu. For interviews with the State of Ohio, contact Jeff Robinson, director of communications with the Ohio Department of Education at 614-752-9487 or jrobinson@highered.ohio.gov.

About Franklin University

Accredited, nonprofit, and dedicated to educating adults since 1902, Franklin provides onsite course options at our Main Campus in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and is an innovator in providing personalized online education. The University offers applied in-demand undergraduate, masters, and doctorate programs that enable adult learners to achieve their educational and professional goals. Through agreements with partner institutions, the University also offers international academic programs, including its top-ranked MBA.

Franklin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds specialized accreditations for specific academic programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Franklin University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).