COTC Coshocton Promise Successful in First Year

In November 2018, Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) announced an ambitious program to offer a free college education to Coshocton County residents. The Coshocton Promise launched in the 2019-2020 academic year.

Initial funds were made possible through a unique public/private partnership between COTC and the Coshocton Foundation’s Clarence and Grace Miller Scholarship endowment. In its first year, 157 students qualified as Coshocton Promise students with their tuition and fees fully being covered by the scholarships as well as federal and state grants.

“Our goal with the Coshocton Promise was to make college accessible for more Coshocton County residents, and our enrollment growth in the area shows that we were successful,” said COTC President John M. Berry, PhD. “As the only higher education option in Coshocton, COTC bears great responsibility in being the community’s college. The Coshocton Promise is one element of our commitment.”

The Coshocton Promise became available to eligible students starting in COTC’s summer 2019 semester, which began on May 13, 2019. Enrollment of students residing in Coshocton County (excluding high school students) increased 19.2%, 18.2% and 28.6% for the summer 2019, autumn 2019 and spring 2020 semesters relative to the same periods one year prior. This increase contrasted with a downward trend in overall enrollment of non-high school students at COTC. In each of the last three semesters, more than half of the Coshocton County residents enrolled received aid from the Coshocton Promise. 

COTC’s Coshocton campus is located at 200 North Whitewoman St. Enrollment is open for autumn semester, which begins on August 25. Learn more at cotc.edu/admissions, or apply now for free at cotc.edu/apply. 

This autumn semester at the Coshocton campus, COTC is also offering the Emergency Medical Technical (EMT) Basic Certificate for free for up to 20 students. After completion of this course, students take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician exam for certification as an EMT. The tuition for this certificate is covered through a combination of Ohio’s short-term certificate grant, which provides up to $1,000 per student enrolled in a certificate program that leads to an industry-recognized credential for an in-demand job, with the remaining tuition covered by a scholarship from the Coshocton Foundation. The deadline to apply is July 31. Interested students should contact Toni Trowbridge at 740.755.7455 or trowbridge.35@mail.cotc.edu to get started.

About the Coshocton Promise

The Coshocton Promise guarantees that COTC will fund the gap between tuition (instructional and general fees) and remaining student need after all other private scholarships, institutional, federal and state aid are exhausted. Under the program, all tuition will be covered for students annually reporting a household income of $60,000 or less on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Coshocton Promise is open to new, current or returning COTC students who do not already hold a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree. Eligible students must be current Coshocton County residents who have lived in the county for at least one year. Recipients must be enrolled in an aid eligible COTC degree or certificate program at any COTC campus or online. Learn more at go.cotc.edu/promise.

COTC is a fully accredited, public college dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible programs of technical education in response to current and emerging employment needs. COTC is the only technical college in Ohio operating four full-service campus locations: Newark, Coshocton, Knox and Pataskala.