Lakeland Community College and the Cleveland Institute of Art signed a five-year articulation agreement that provides transfer credit and scholarship support to students who want to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in pursuit of their creative careers.

Through this new partnership, Lakeland students who complete a specified curriculum and are admitted to CIA will transfer with 30 semester units of transferable credit. They will also receive a guaranteed $10,000 per year scholarship for each of their remaining three years of study at CIA. Eligible students will enter CIA as sophomores and directly begin their degree program in one of CIA’s majors in visual arts, craft, digital media and design.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to creating accessible and affordable pathways for students to achieve their educational goals,” says James Malley, Director of Admissions at CIA. “Through this articulation agreement with Lakeland, we’re making it easier for talented students to seamlessly transition and complete their Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at CIA, preparing them for successful careers in art and design.”

"This innovative partnership provides our students with a transformative opportunity to pursue a career in the arts," said Erin Fekete, Dean for Arts & Sciences at Lakeland Community College. "By creating a clear pathway to CIA with substantial scholarship funding, we are reducing financial barriers and supporting our students' creative futures."

The agreement with Lakeland Community College marks CIA’s third articulation agreement in as many years. CIA signed articulation agreements with Cuyahoga Community College in 2022 and Davis College in 2023.

“At the Cleveland Institute of Art, we believe talent can come from anywhere, and it’s our responsibility to ensure access to a world-class education in art and design,” Malley says. “By increasing pathways to our college, we’re not only broadening opportunities for students to reach their full creative potential but also enriching our community with diverse perspectives and experiences that strengthen the future of art and innovation.”

By: Levi Rex, Marketing Communications Specialist