The Advantages of Regional College Campuses

Not that long ago, Ohio’s universities differentiated their primary campus from their regional ones by referring to them as a “main campus.” Consequently, a particular college’s regional campuses were often viewed as satellite locations of sorts that not only had a smaller footprint but also less opportunity than the original campus. 

Universities have since dropped the use of “main campus” and inserted a location into the name of their regional campuses to help each stand on its own and eliminate the stereotype of a regional-campus education being somehow inferior. The shift also reflects that each regional campus has its own set of advantages and opportunities.

Several of Ohio’s public universities have at least one regional campus, many of which were founded in the 1960s or ’70s, says Dr. Margaret “Peggy” Shadduck, Vice President for Regional Campuses and Dean of the College of Applied and Technical Studies at Kent State University. 

“There was a big push by Gov. [James] Rhodes to make sure college was accessible and nearby,” she says, adding that Rhodes wanted students from all over the state to have access to public higher education. “That’s when Kent State first really got involved … helping with that effort to make sure there was access to public higher education even for students who were located far from the campus of a public university.” 

Kent State now has regional campuses in Ashtabula, Columbiana, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas counties as well as a Geauga/Twinsburg Academic Center campus that has two physical sites but is technically one campus. 

“Our regional campuses are very spread out,” Shadduck says. “In the state, we cover the greatest territory with seven regional campuses. ... Our [university] president likes to say we cover an area the size of the state of Connecticut.”

Many students enrolled at regional campuses are working to earn a two-year degree or to start at the regional campus and then finish their bachelor’s degree at the original campus. Many students who choose a regional campus do so because they have responsibilities that keep them close to home.  

“Time and location are things that make sense for them,” Shadduck says. “We work with a fair number of part-time students, and they often have caregiver duties — children, parents — and so to drop all that and go live in a dormitory is just not feasible. And the tuition cost at a regional campus is roughly 60 percent of the cost at the Kent campus.” 

Unique Programs 

Regional campuses also sometimes offer programs and degrees that are specific to them and not available at the larger campus. For instance, Miami University has a program that specifically focuses on combining students’ work lives and education. 

It’s called Work Plus, and its regional director, Ekaterina Gay, explains that the program is only for commuter students and available at all three of Miami University’s Butler County regional campuses: Hamilton, Middletown and Voice of America Learning Center in West Chester. 

“Students take classes at a regional campus, typically full time, and work part time for a partner company not on campus,” Gay says. 

Generally, students work 20 to 24 hours per week during their fall and spring semesters, and the rest of the year they work up to 40 hours. The companies involved include businesses that range from childcare to property management. 

When a participating company is in the student’s field of interest, that provides an additional bonus. The time commitment for such a program is a large one, so each student must be selected, which includes being in good academic standing. 

“The rationale is if someone’s struggling in coursework, adding more responsibilities to their plate will likely make them struggle even more,” Gay says. 

Once accepted into Miami University’s Work Plus program, students are only halfway there though. 

“The other piece is being hired by the employer,” Gay says. “They are not assigned by us as an automatic process. We tell students about the employer’s opportunities, they apply via the employer’s process, go through an interview, and if they’re chosen, they go through the official hiring process. Once they sign paperwork, they are part of the Work Plus program.”  

The students gain a substantial return on their investment of time and hard work. They are paid employees — just like any other of their employer — so they can support themselves. In addition, the employer covers the student’s tuition: instruction and general fees, according to Gay. 

Given the benefits of Work Plus, it has been increasing in popularity, so much so that the university has developed a template for other institutions to model the program. Since fall of 2019, the first year of the program, enrollment has nearly doubled year over year to a total of around 70 students across all three of Miami University’s regional campuses.

Hands-On Experiences

The Ohio State University has four regional campuses: Lima, Mansfield, Marion and Newark. Another campus, the Agricultural Technical Institute, is in Wooster. Although many people often think of it as a regional campus, it is not one so much as it is an extension of the original campus that has unique programs and offerings. 

“Though we follow a lot of the same regional procedures as other regional campuses, we are not a regional campus,” explains David Dietrich, Director of Admissions at Ohio State’s Agricultural Technical Institute. “We’re part of the university’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences — one college with two locations. 

“What makes us different is we have a statewide mission,” he continues. “Whereas other regionals are specifically recruiting from particular counties … we have students from all over the state. We also admit nonresidents, which most regionals do not.”

Many, but not all, of the 462 students at The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute enroll there planning to finish their degree in Columbus, he notes.

“Around 65 percent of students who apply here are intending to start here and then complete their degree at the Columbus campus,” he says. “Generally, that’s the first choice of students. We have two degree programs: One puts them right out into the workforce, and the other is the first two years for students intending to complete their degree at Columbus.”

What makes the Agricultural Technical Institute’s Wooster location additionally appealing to those enrolled in The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences program is its rural location. 

“ATI was formed 50 years ago on the idea of creating rich, hands-on experiential learning. We’ve really maintained that commitment,” says Kristina Boone, Director of  The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute and an assistant dean. “We have a great school here, especially for a student who wants a diversity of animal experiences.”

The campus also has a world-class beef facility, including a portion designed by animal behaviorist Temple Grandin, and the only junior livestock-judging team from here to the Atlantic, Boone says. 

“They learn how to judge livestock and provide oral reasons for it,” she says. “How well they place the [livestock] class and how well they communicate it, it really enhances their communication skills and critical-thinking skills.”

Geography Lessons

Another regional campus that makes specific use of its rural location is Wright State University’s Lake Campus in Celina — the Dayton college’s only regional campus. While there are some bachelor’s degrees that can be fully obtained at the Lake Campus, including a general business degree, Wright State’s Lake Campus also offers a unique rotation for students at Wright State’s Boonshoft School of Medicine. The Wright Rural Medical Scholars program offers medical students the opportunity to work in a rural setting. There is specific housing for these scholars, who number about a half dozen at a time. 

“There’s a real need for rural doctors,” says Dr. Andrea Faber, Vice Provost of Wright State University’s Lake Campus. “We have local doctors committed to that and to taking our students for preceptors, which are like clinical rotations. ... It gives [students] the opportunity to work in a rural setting. Sometimes with family doctors, sometimes in health settings. It’s good for our community.”

In addition, Wright State’s Lake Campus offers 13 different bachelor’s degree programs, giving students the opportunity to earn their entire degree at the regional campus. For instance, most students who study nursing at the Lake Campus do so entirely there. Other students start at the Lake Campus and then transfer to Dayton. 

Ohio’s regional campuses remain a pathway to a university’s largest campus, whether because a student was not admitted to that campus and needs to first perform to a certain academic standard, or because they’re more comfortable starting at a smaller campus. Faber points out many students do not feel ready for a large campus. 

“We throw them into the adult world, and just giving them that year or two to mature can be helpful … before going to a larger campus,” she says. 

This story ran in the Winter-Spring 2024 issue of College 101.