Access Collaborative

The ACCESS Collaborative Program is an academic and social support program to assist low-income minority single parent students who are pursuing a college education at The Ohio State University.

Purpose

To increase retention and graduation rates of low-income minority single parent students at The Ohio State University by minimizing the barriers that may prevent full participation by these students. The Program coordinates University and community support services to meet low-income minority single parent’s needs as students and as heads of household.

Eligibility

Eligibility for the ACCESS Collaborative Program requires:

• Full time custodial responsibility of all dependent children, and children must reside in student’s household while student is attending The Ohio State University.
• A 2.3 minimum GPA by Category I participants. (There is no minimum GPA for Category II participants.) See Membership Privileges
• Part-time or full-time status as an Ohio State University student.

The ACCESS Collaborative Program provides numerous services to meet students’ needs in daily living and successful academic performance. These services include:

Workshops
All participants are required to attend workshops and programming consisting of:

• Parenting Skills: building self-esteem and promoting autonomy in children, improving family harmony, guiding children to maturity.
• Financial Planning: how to apply for financial aid, household budgeting, how to save and invest for the future.
• Life Skills: stress management, relationship building, communication skill development.

Mentoring
Upper class ACCESS Collaborative participants may serve as mentors, providing academic and social support as new students learn to handle the struggles associated with being a single parent college student.

Professional Development/Employment Assistance
Students are provided access to a variety of resources and programs that provide exposure to and enhance skills in avenues beyond the undergraduate degree, such as guidance on applying to graduate school, cover letter and resume writing, and interview etiquette.

Housing Assistance
Participants are entitled to receive priority consideration for housing in Buckeye Village, a safe, on-campus family housing community.

Childcare
Category I participants receive 10 hours of childcare per week from The Ohio State University Childcare Center. This resource is provided to participants for academic activities such as attending ACCESS Collaborative-based programs, tutoring sessions and studying.

Priority Registration
Participants are granted the opportunity to register for classes before other students at the University, to ensure enrollment in all courses required for graduation.

Scholarship Opportunities
The top 10 participants with a GPA of 2.5 and above are eligible for $100 book scholarship, awarded quarterly. In addition, students with a GPA of 3.0 and above and have been a participant in the ACCESS Collaborative Program for at least one year are eligible for the Longaberger Foundation/ACCESS Collaborative Program scholarship, awarded annually.

ACCESS Collaborative also offers resources and referrals:

• Housing Guides
• Child Care Centers
• Jobs and Family Services
• Community Resources