The Cleveland Humanities Collaborative (CHC) is a partnership between Case Western Reserve University and Cuyahoga Community College, Lakeland Community College, and Lorain County Community College charged with promoting student transfer from these community colleges to CWRU to pursue a liberal arts education through a Bachelor of Arts degree in the humanities. In addition, the program encourages and supports strengthened ties among faculty through programming and academic collaborations. The Collaborative also seeks to enrich the cultural life of northeastern Ohio through quality public programming that supports the appreciation of the humanities and its importance in nurturing engaged citizens and building strong communities.

The CHC is funded by a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, whose mission is to “strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies.” Program funding supports student opportunities, including a stipend for the summer bridge program, work-study in the humanities, research funds for independent study or short-term study abroad, as well as a scaffolded network of advising and mentoring. The goal is that over the life of the grant, these institutions can solidify a sustainable program into the future.

As students pursue their associate’s degrees at Tri-C, Lakeland CC, and LCCC, they will be able to explore many of the humanities disciplines available as majors and minors at CWRU. They will also be able to participate in concurrent enrollment, a program that lets students enroll in up to 6 credits per semester at CWRU while they pursue their AA degrees at their home institutions. Once they are on track to earn their associate’s degree, students will apply to CWRU. Upon acceptance, students will become CHC Scholars and participate in a summer bridge program that will prepare them for a successful transition to the university and to SAGES, CWRU’s general education curriculum. They will also be introduced to all of CWRU’s services that promote student success. At CWRU, CHC Scholars will be integrated into humanities programs and be connected to University Circle institutions.