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Central State unveils 'Six Pillars of Access' plan to support students

Kathryn Mobley
/
WYSO
Dr. Amy Hobbs-Harris (l) and Dr. Lillian Drakeford are excited about the restructuring at Central State University. It includes the launching of the 6 Pillars Initiative

Central State University is rolling out its new "Six Pillars of Access."

"It's Connect. Convert. Enter, Learn, Retain, and Complete," summarized Dr. Amy Hobbs-Harris, interim provost and VP for academic affairs at Central State.

University officials described the pillars as a testament to the school's commitment to the success of students and the growth and long-term sustainability of the institution.

Hobbs-Harris said the plan is to start first by just connecting with potential students wherever they may be in life, and then getting them excited and committed and enrolling in the university.

3,454 students attend Central State University.

Then, students enter the university.

"So that's part of the initiatives that we've talked about with our orientation program and our pirate week," Hobbs-Harris said.

She said "the heart, the most important pillar to me is the learning piece."

"So the academic focus of their curriculum and what their degree programs actually are," she said.

Then finally, Hobbs-Harris said the school is working to retain the students.

"We're bringing together engaging co-curricular activities and internship opportunities. And then we want to see them graduate," she said.

In May 2024, more 1,200 students graduated from Central State.

She said the Six Pillars initiative is designed to provide wrap-around academic, financial, housing and mental health support for all students–to ultimately increase retention and graduation.

"It's important to engage our students and really help them see that they belong here at the university," Hobbs-Harris said. "So pouring these resources into them from the very beginning really shows our commitment to them that we want them to succeed all the way through their university experience."

At the same time, CSU is restructuring a portion of the school. This month, it merged the College of Education with the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. The new acronym for the combined colleges is CHASE.

"It's an effort to improve efficiency on the campus, to enrich the academic experience for students by offering a diversified curriculum and the more diversity anyone is exposed to in perspectives, formal and informal learning experiences," said Dr. Lillian Drakeford, interim dean. "It contributes to their growth as an individual. And the more you're exposed to different kinds of challenges, the more capable you are to navigate those challenges in life." 

Drakeford said Central State has been working on this merger for more than a year. She also said it will benefit faculty by expanding their teaching options as well as creating new professional opportunities.

Kathryn Mobley is an award-winning broadcast journalist, crafting stories for more than 30 years. She’s reported and produced for TV, NPR affiliate and for the web. Mobley also contributes to several area community groups. She sings tenor with World House Choir (Yellow Springs), she’s a board member of the Beavercreek Community Theatre and volunteers with two community television operations, DATV (Dayton) and MVCC (Centerville).

Email: kmobley@wyso.org
Cell phone: (937) 952-9924