CSU Corporate Engagement

WE ARE CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY

COME PARTNER WITH US.

WHY PARTNER WITH CSU? Innovation.

Talent acquisition.

Employee retention.

Community investment.

Let’s find your fit together.

Hundreds of civic institutions do important work every year to make Greater Cleveland a better place to live, learn, work, buy a home, raise a family or start a business. But of all those entities, one stands uniquely qualified to make the greatest difference for the greatest number of people: Cleveland State University.

Here in Downtown Cleveland, in the heart of the city, Cleveland State does more than any other organization to enhance life in our region. CSU educates more young people, places more graduates in Northeast Ohio jobs, drives more economic mobility and partners with more governments, nonprofits and businesses to create opportunity and fulfill the promise of Cleveland for all who call it home. Cleveland State isn’t just Cleveland’s state university. CSU is Cleveland’s university – the most indispensable resource for making Greater Cleveland a greater place to live.

RETAIN YOUR TALENT Over 75% of employees are likely to remain at companies that offer tuition benefits. And when you send your employees to Cleveland State, you’re sending them to one of the best schools in Ohio for adult learning.* With CSU’s wide variety of courses — including nationally ranked graduate programs, the availability of online and evening classes and affordability — it’s the perfect option to invest in your employees and your company and the region.

Your employees will leave CSU more prepared and confident. They’ll be ready to face the future of work. And they’re much more likely to stay put. *The recognition comes from Abound, a college guidance system for degreeseeking adults, helping students find the best place to earn an undergraduate degree, graduate degree, nursing degree, or MBA.

CSU IS AMAZON’S ONLY FOUR-YEAR DEGREE PARTNER IN GREATER CLEVELAND CSU provides eligible Amazon employees a fully funded education through the company’s Career Choice program, designed to help its frontline employees grow their skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere. Through Career Choice at CSU, Amazon employees can pursue a bachelor’s degree, earn industry certifications leading to in-demand jobs and build skills through English language proficiency.

RECRUIT THE BEST TALENT Many of our students come from humble beginnings, — often the first ones in their families to pursue higher education. But when they get here on campus, they excel.

It’s not easy. They have to work hard. But they have drive.

Determination. Resilience. And they leave CSU fully equipped, at the top of their game, capable of standing out in a highly competitive business landscape. You want those people on your team. People who embrace and overcome challenges to become the best and the brightest. Here are just three of the thousands of CSU success stories

ALAN NEVEL (BA ’96) “I certainly would not be where I am today, if it were not for Cleveland State University,” said Alan Nevel.

“After many years of having underperformed and underachieved from an academic perspective, CSU literally took a chance on me by providing me with the opportunity to finish my undergraduate studies. At CSU, I was able to build mentoring relationships with professors and administrators who often saw more in me than I saw in myself.”

Today, Nevel is retired from MetroHealth after serving in a number of roles, including senior vice president for human resources, equity and community impact. He is currently the CEO and managing partner of Intethiq, a management consultancy firm which he established.

JIM KANDRAC (BBA ’83) CSU also took a chance on Jim Kandrac.

“In June 1979, CSU provided me an opportunity to enter college when no other school would accept me due to low grades,” he said.

Fast forward over 40 years and Kandrac is a highly successful, serial tech entrepreneur, having founded UCG Technologies, which he sold in 2022 after running the business for 34 years. He is now CEO of Contract Guardian, a subscription-based hospital contract management solution.

GINA VERNACI (MS ’03) To say Gina Vernaci (MS ’03) traveled far from where she started in life profoundly understates the scope of her success. When she arrived at Playhouse Square in 1984, she started out so low on the organizational ladder that her first position had no title and no apparent future. But defying the odds, she rose through the ranks becoming executive producer, then president and COO, then its first female CEO. Under her leadership, Vernaci positioned Playhouse Square as a nationally renowned cultural, tourist, and entertainment destination, as well as the country’s largest performing arts center outside of New York City. Today, she’s recognized as a strategist to executives in the Broadway and performing arts industries and is a lifetime voter for the Tony Awards.

BECOME A PARTNER IN INNOVATION

From biomedical research to adaptive engineering, CSU’s research efforts remain on the cutting edge of industry and your company has an opportunity to become a partner in innovation.

Working with the CSU Technology Transfer Office, you can license a CSU invention, and through our Industry Express agreements, you can have non-exclusive, exclusive or complete ownership options.

Available technologies exist in chemical and biomedical engineering; control technologies; energy; mechanical engineering; sensors, software and security; cancer treatments; pharmaceuticals and radiology.

Ray Petro, an avid mountain biker, opened the world’s first indoor bike park in 2004. Over a decade later, he was severely injured in a biking accident with a high spinal cord injury.

It sidelined him indefinitely from the sport he loved.

But thanks to the work of CSU’s Spinal Cord Injury Volunteer Corps (SCIVC), an outgrowth of the Washkewicz College of Engineering, he’s back on the road.

In partnership with the Center for Human Machine Systems Lab and The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network facility, members of the SCIVC incorporated a power-steering unit onto Petro’s new four-wheel adaptive bike—which made it easier for him to steer and maneuver.

From biomedical research to adaptive engineering, CSU’s research efforts remain on the cutting edge of industry and your company has an opportunity to become a partner in innovation.

GAIN AN EVEN GREATER COMPETITVE EDGE Studies agree that when companies invest in their communities, they have a lot to show for it — higher employee morale, a well-regarded name, even higher profits.

At CSU, you can invest in the community by establishing scholarships, funding our Living Learning Communities, sponsoring university programs, supporting our athletics players and programs, or providing support for Radiance, our premiere event celebrating philanthropy. There are also numerous student success initiatives that may align with your corporate interests. Let us help you find that perfect fit.

Your commitment unlocks the doors of opportunities for CSU students and benefits you in ways that position your company for success both now and in the future.

CSU LIVING LEARNING COMMUNITY Established through generous financial commitments from the Parker Hannifin Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, Samuel H. and Maria Miller Foundation, and the David and Inez Myers Foundation, the program weaves the CSU student residential experience with academic support, leadership training, mentorship and experiential learning.

SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CAREER ACCELERATOR A cohort of Monte Ahuja College of Business students take part in a unique, on-campus learning experience made possible through a partnership with The Sherwin-Williams Company. Students take classes together, have a dedicated, professional academic advisor, access to additional resources to help the students succeed, such as laptops for their coursework, customized workshops, field trips to local businesses, and more.

YOUR SUPPORT BENEFITS CSU AND THE REGION In fiscal year 2021-22, CSU provided a vast, $3 billion economic lift to Northeast Ohio and the state as a whole — supporting 36,843 jobs in the region (or one out of every 63 jobs in Northeast Ohio). Tens of thousands of former students were employed in the area amounting to $2.6 billion in added income. New companies established because of the University generated $22.6 million. And Cleveland State’s internal operations added $191.5 million in income to the regional economy.

When you partner with the University, you’re fueling one of Northeast Ohio’s major economic engines.

And collectively, we all rise because of it.

“With more than 140,000 CSU alumni — the majority of whom reside in Northeast Ohio — CSU is an economic engine. We contribute substantially to the region’s workforce who, in turn, contribute to their communities. I am very proud of the role CSU plays in building a vibrant region.”

Laura Bloomberg President, Cleveland State University

For more details about how your institution can partner with Cleveland State University, please contact: Anne-Marie E. Connors Associate Vice President, Alumni Relations and Corporate Engagement a.e.connors@csuohio.edu or 216.340-3344.

CSU Alumni Association: csualumni.com CSU Foundation: supportcsu.org