YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Stark State College is moving in to fill a chasm in the Mahoning Valley left by the closure of Eastern Gateway Community College.
“There’s a void,” said Para Jones, Stark State president. “There is not a community college currently in the Valley.”
After more than a decade in the region, Eastern Gateway, headquartered in Steubenville, closed last year amid financial and accreditation problems. It had operated a campus in downtown Youngstown.
Jones said Stark State is working with the Western Reserve Port Authority to find a location in the Valley where it can offer in-person classes starting this fall.
Anthony Trevena, WRPA executive director, confirmed that college officials had contacted him to see if there is available space.
“So we’re deeply entrenched in the community college mission,” Jones said. “We understand what our working adult students need. They need convenient access with plenty of free, surface parking. So we’re looking for a facility that’s easy access to all points in the Valley. That would be Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana County.”
College officials also want a facility that will allow expansion as students and employers in the region dictate.
“We would like to be in Youngstown,” Jones said. “We’ve certainly been looking at the population of the Valley, and that speaks to being in Youngstown, of course, if we want maximum access and convenience for the residents of the Valley.”
Youngstown State University didn’t respond to a request to comment. After Eastern Gateway closed, YSU added more than 50 associate degree and certificate programs to serve the students who formerly attended. Those include associate degrees in business administration, nursing, accounting, health services and respiratory therapy. Certificates offered include medical assistant, medical coding specialist, business management and information technology in different concentrations. Other programs are under review.
A report from the Ohio Department of Higher Education shows that as of fall 2024, about 60% of former Eastern Gateway students enrolled at YSU. Central State University near Dayton enrolled 11%. About 1% enrolled at Stark State, the report shows. It’s based on information the respective colleges reported to ODHE.
Jones said Stark State looked at the buildings formerly occupied by Eastern Gateway. Because of an ongoing legal issue between Eastern Gateway and a company with which it contracted, those likely won’t be available for this fall. That location also doesn’t afford the plenty of free surface parking it wants.
Stark’s president points out that community colleges serve working adults and they’re looking for low tuition and few to no fees. Stark’s tuition is $199 per credit hour, according to Jones.
For a YSU student seeking an associate degree, tuition and fees total $265 per credit hour, according to the university’s website.
Stark operates locations in Stark and Summit counties.
“And we’ve been in Akron for six and a half years. But that direct access across [Interstate] 76, I think, allowed us to see more and more students from the Mahoning Valley,” Jones said.
Over the years, Mahoning Valley students have enrolled at Stark State, primarily in pre-health and health programs. Industrial and manufacturing trade is the second most popular, the president said, with business management accounting the third.
The college offers more than 25 online degrees and certificates, and it’s expanding partnerships with area K-12 school districts through its College Credit Plus program. That program enables seventh through 12 graders to earn college credit before they graduate from high school. YSU also offers CCP with area schools, as do other colleges. Eastern Gateway also offered CCP.
Stark already provides in-person medical assisting classes at Campbell City Schools. This fall, it will add in-person classes in business management, associate of arts and associate of science degrees. There are plans to begin nursing programs beginning in fall 2026, and students will be able to start pre-nursing classes this fall.
“We already know our programs are in great demand, because we’ve been working with some of the health care employers on, specifically, medical assisting, medical coding and medical billing – three high-demand programs,” Jones explained. “And we are talking about more and more each day in that critical health career field.”
Stark State began offering CCP through Campbell Schools about six years ago. Its relationship with that school district stems from the Campbell Community Literacy Workforce and Cultural Center. Several years ago, Campbell City Schools Superintendent Matthew Bowen went to the state to request capital funding for the project. Such projects require a joint use agreement with a higher education institution, and the Legislature selected Stark State to partner with Campbell, Jones explained.
Bowen said Stark State has provided district students with a lot of opportunities, pointing to CCP in particular. The joint use agreement runs for 20 years, but Campbell City Schools doesn’t exclude any higher education institution that wants to work with it, he said.
“In fact, we have a great relationship with Youngstown State University, and we always work with all of our higher ed partners,” the superintendent said. “And we don’t refuse anyone the opportunity to collaborate and to work within our space. And we look forward to future conversations with Youngstown State University, with how we could grow opportunities for our Valley together. So it’s not about one over the other.”
He said the district is always looking to work with any partner that can offer something to benefit the Valley.
Stark State plans to host an open house from 5-7 p.m. April 16 in the Community Literacy Workforce and Cultural Center, 436 Struthers Coitsville Road. For more information, click HERE, call 330 494 6170, ext. 4301, or email admissions@starkstate.edu.