Lake Erie College touts fundraising success, new facilities - The News-Herald
Lake Erie College is celebrating recent fundraising success as it prepares to start the school year with a new turf field, reorganized academic programs and a workforce development department.
The college recently announced that it raised $8.2 million in gifts and pledges during its last fiscal year, which ended June 30. A college news release said that was “one of the most successful fundraising years in the college’s history.”
“This incredible show of support from alumni, friends, foundations, corporate and government partners is a strong vote of confidence in Lake Erie College and the impact of our mission,” said college President Jennifer Schuller in the news release. “These gifts are fueling transformative progress on our campus and expanding opportunities for the students we serve.”
Schuller said in a phone call that she was “ecstatic” at the support.
“We’re really trying to communicate our identity and people have responded to it very well and just want to be a part of the transformation of Lake Erie College,” she said.
New facilities
The Painesville-based college is preparing new academic and athletic facilities.
Schuller said that work on an upcoming turf field is “nearly complete.” Students will practice on that field when they return to school later this month.
Lake County officials contributed $1.5 million toward the field, which was announced at a student assembly in early 2024. It is located near the college’s residence halls.
“It’s been a game changer for us,” Schuller said. “Frankly, we have incredible retention among our student athletes because they’re so excited to come play. For Lake Erie College to have its own turf field for the first time, it’s been a huge recruitment tool.”
The college is also working to build a health science lab in its Garfield Center. The college received $500,000 in state funding for the lab last year and plans to use the space for a new exercise science program.
“That program is one of the fastest-growing programs in the country,” Schuller said. “It’s the undergraduate major that leads to occupational therapy and other sorts of therapy programs, so we’re excited to build on some of the other strengths we have here at the college and create a really robust exercise science program.”
She added that the college might also be able to use additional space to expand its physician’s assistant program in the coming years.
The college also announced on Facebook that Schuller’s husband, Steve Schuller, recently volunteered time to help resurface the college’s basketball court. Work in that area is being supported by Ray and Abby Delamotte, and the court will be lined for both basketball and pickleball.
Workforce preparation
The college was restructured into three schools this summer. It said in a news release that the change was intended to provide “clearer, more responsive pathways for students” and “align offerings with in-demand career fields.”
“We’ve restructured the college to specifically address what I continue to hear from both local employers and employers statewide about what some of the workforce needs are in the state of Ohio,” Schuller said.
The college’s STREAMS school will include its science, technology, research, engineering, animal and medical sciences programming. The other two schools focus on its business and education programs.
“While we’ll continue to offer other offerings – students can still major in really important fields of study like history and art – we really want to make sure that we are providing the programs that both the workforce needs and also are providing degree programs where students actually get jobs,” she said.
The college also recently announced the creation of a career services and workforce development department under the leadership of Amy Sabath. The department will facilitate personalized coaching and advising, employer connections, career education, professional preparation and alumni connections.
Schuller said she wants local employers to turn to the college with their staffing needs.
“This department is about more than job placement,” she added in a college news release. “It’s about preparing our students to become influential professionals, civic leaders and change agents in their communities.”
The department is on the second floor of the Lincoln Learning Commons and will be open to students from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and by appointment.
Sabath will also head the college’s nonprofit and civic engagement initiatives, the college announced.
Looking ahead
All the recent and planned changes have come alongside a period of growth for Lake Erie College. Schuller said that in the last two years, enrollment has grown from more than 800 students to more than 1,350 expected this coming fall.
She added that the college is also in the middle of creating a five-year strategic plan, which will map out its long-term goals.
Schuller intends to continue making campus improvements and raising funds for scholarships. More than 100 students have come to the college through its Tri-County Scholarship, which launched last year and which is available for full-time students from Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties.
The college also announced that it received a $779,000 Choose Ohio First grant in December. It said in a news release that the funding will offer scholarships and wraparound services for students interested in “high-demand STEM and healthcare fields.”
Schuller said the college wants to raise funds for new academic programs such as manufacturing and engineering, and for expanding its animal and health science programs.
After thanking the college’s supporters, she highlighted its role in the community.
“Lake Erie College is the only four-year baccalaureate-granting institution in Lake County and is an important staple for the city of Painesville,” she said. “So again, I’m ecstatic that we’ve made such progress in so little time and feel just really, there’s a lot of momentum now and I feel really optimistic for the future.”