The Choose Ohio First scholarship covers the cost of tuition and fees up to $4,000 for biotechnology science students

Up to 10 scholarships available to cover full tuition of biotechnology science program available for fall 2017 semester

Lakeland's biotechnology science program has been awarded $40,320 from the Ohio Department of Higher Education to support 10 biotechnology science students for the 2017-2018 academic year.

The program, called "Choose Ohio First," will cover the cost of tuition and fees up to $4,000 for biotechnology science students who do not receive full PELL grants.

High school graduates who passed chemistry with a C or better are encouraged to apply if they fit the following criteria:

• Have an interest in a career in the laboratory biological sciences or data/analysis management as it pertains to biological data
• Have a 3.0 GPA or are an entering college freshman
• Place into college algebra
• Reside in Ohio

"Students who receive this scholarship will have their tuition fully covered," said Dr. Joe Deak, program chair of the biotechnology science program. "We currently have two students taking advantage of this funding."

Lakeland's biotechnology science program has more than a 95 percent placement rate into jobs or transfer to a four-year-college or university. Institutions where graduates matriculate include Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Cleveland State University, Indiana Wesleyan, Kent State University, John Carroll University, Lake Erie College and Youngstown State University.

Lakeland also has a 2+2 articulation with Ursuline college, which allows students to transfer all of their credits and graduate with a bachelor's degree in two additional years or less.

"After graduating from Lakeland, many students are then able to receive tuition waivers or reimbursements from their employers to reduce, or eliminate, the cost of the bachelor's degree," said Deak.

Many of Lakeland's biotechnology students intern or work in companies and institutions across the region including CWRU, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center, Steris Corp., Ricerca Biosciences, Athersys, Amresco, MP Biomedical, Chantest, Cell Technologies Ltd, Oakwood Laboratories, Sherwin Williams, Lubrizol, NSL Analytical Services Inc. and Herbal Essentials.

For more information contact Dr. Joe Deak, biotechnology science program director, at 440.525.7466 or jdeak@lakelandcc.edu.

By: Jessica Novak, Mrktg and Commun Specialist