A new College Credit Plus (CCP) agreement between Walsh University and Stark County Catholic High Schools will save time and money towards earning a college education, while strengthening Catholic educational opportunities in Stark County. The agreement allows students from St. Thomas Aquinas and Central Catholic High Schools to take Walsh University courses and earn college credit at no cost while completing high school.
Though Walsh and St. Thomas Aquinas have had a long standing CCP partnership, the University is now offering College Credit Plus courses to Central Catholic High School students while expanding its list of course offerings to both schools. The new agreement will provide a pathway to programs such as Walsh Nursing, Pre-Med, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Interdisciplinary Studies and in the near future, Engineering and Business.
"We’re pleased to expand this opportunity and support our fellow Catholic schools in Stark County," said Walsh University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Douglas Palmer, Ph.D. "Not only will students be able to earn college credit at no cost to their families, but they are also getting exposure to a college campus that shares their Catholic faiths and traditions in the classroom."
The purpose of Ohio’s College Credit Plus program is to promote rigorous academic pursuits and to provide a wide variety of options to college-ready students. The agreement between Walsh and Stark County Catholic High Schools offers students from Central and St. Thomas the opportunity to take college classes and earn college credits toward the field of study they plan to pursue in college, even before receiving their high school diplomas.
"Stark County Catholic High Schools have a long tradition of academic excellence. We’re thrilled to expand this program and help make higher education more accessible to our students," said Dan Gravo, president of Stark County Catholic High Schools. "The fact that we’re able to do this with an institution like Walsh University, that shares our Catholic values, is an added advantage for our students."
For more information on the College Credit Plus Program, contact Walsh CCP Coordinator Katie-Elisabeth Brown at 330-490-7349 or email kebrown@walsh.edu. College Credit Plus Admission information can also be accessed at www.walsh.edu/ccp.
Stark County Catholic Schools is a collaboration between Central Catholic and St. Thomas Aquinas that allows each school to maintain their unique school identities and traditions, yet share one president, one governing board, and an administrative team that implements a business approach for enrollment, marketing, and development. Central Catholic and St. Thomas both offer the hallmarks of a Catholic education, 100% graduation rates, 99% college attendance, test scores well above the state and national average, 91% senior acceptance rates to their first choice college, 99% participation in extracurricular activities, and faith values being present in the classroom and beyond, each and every day.