Parker Hannifin gift provides Cleveland State University students with free, on-campus housing

CLEVELAND—Part of an existing gift, Mayfield Heights, Ohio-based Parker Hannifin will establish a community at Cleveland State University for Cleveland Metropolitan School District graduates, providing them with housing and support services.

The Parker Hannifin Learning Community at CSU for Cleveland schools graduates will provide 40 participating students with two years of free, on-campus housing, according to a news release. Students also will have access to mentoring services and career-preparation activities such as internships and hands-on research projects.

William Dube, director of communications and media relations for Cleveland State, said the $5 million commitment is part of $10 million originally given to Cleveland State by the Parker Hannifin Foundation as part of the university's campaign.

Both Cleveland State and Parker Hannifin thought this was a good way to refocus some of those funds after Cleveland was named a Say Yes to Education community, Dube said.

Say Yes to Education is a national initative that aims to strengthen communities by supporting public school students as they complete high school and gain access and to affordable postsecondary education, ultimately helping them to obtain a college degrees. The Cleveland community has supported these efforts, with local business and community organizations raising more than $85 million collectively, Cleveland State said.

Say Yes to Education will provide Cleveland Metropolitan School District graduates (in the future, some residency requirements will be attached) with scholarships to public colleges and universities such as Cleveland State. Providing free, on-campus housing helps remove another economic barrier to college, the release stated.

Further, Cleveland State notes that students who live on campus, especially during their first and second years of higher education, make greater strides in college, have higher graduation rates and are more engaged in on-campus opportunities.

To qualify for the on-campus housing provided by Parker Hannifin, students only have to be eligible for a Say Yes to Education scholarship. If more than 40 students apply for the learning community in a year, preference will be given to those in STEM majors, Dube said.

"Parker is proud to support Cleveland State University and Say Yes to Education by strategically investing an existing commitment that will have a great impact on the future success of Cleveland public school students," Tom Williams, Parker Hannifin chairman and CEO, said in the release. "This initiative further strengthens our long-standing relationship with Cleveland State University and is aligned with our broader commitment to help improve education."

The Parker Hannifin-funded housing program is expected to run for seven years, will begin in the fall of 2019 and represents one component of Parker Hannifin's support Cleveland State University campus. The foundation also has funded the construction of the Parker Hannifin Administration Center and Parker Hannifin Hall, and has established the Parker Hannifin Scholars Program.