Chatfield College in Ohio will cease operations as a two-year, private liberal arts college and become a nonprofit agency focused on supporting postsecondary education attainment.
The college, which has campuses in Cincinnati and St. Martin, Ohio, says the current semester will be the final one for academic classes. Beginning in January 2023, it will evolve into a nonprofit agency called the Chatfield Edge. It will provide education attainment services, academic scholarships, mentoring, and job readiness support to qualified first-generation and non-traditional students in Greater Cincinnati.
“While we will no longer teach classes or confer associate degrees, we will do everything in our power to ensure those who want a postsecondary education have the resources and support they need to reach their educational goals," says Chatfield College President Robert Elmore.
The Chatfield Edge will focus on assisting underserved populations – adult learners, first-generation college students, and students who have tried college before and failed but want to return.
Chatfield College will work individually with the 100 or so students enrolled for the fall semester to map out an appropriate transfer plan for the 2023 spring semester and help them utilize services from The Chatfield Edge moving forward. Chatfield has arranged teach-out agreements with Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and Southern State Community College for students expected to graduate in spring 2023.
“Given enrollment declines accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic and demographic trends that show decreasing numbers of high school graduates, transitioning now provides the best path forward," Elmore says. "It allows us to conserve our endowment and maximize our resources, so we can continue to support students in our community through education for years to come."
