Signed into law on March 28, 2025, and taking effect on June 27 of the same year, The Advance Ohio Higher Education Act resulted in the cutting of many university programs that are affiliated with the state of Ohio among other provisions.
Some of the schools affected by the bill include Ohio University and Kent State University.
As a response, Point Park University announced in November of last year that they are offering the Buckeye Fresh Start Scholarship. This scholarship offers students between $16,000 to $22,000 per year, as well as an additional $5,000 for students affected by the Ohio public university program cuts.
A smooth credit transfer experience is also offered so that credits from those other universities also apply to Point Park.
Along with college students, financial aid is also offered to Ohio high school students who are seeking to attend Point Park University.
The list of programs cut across that state is long, but just looking at some of the programs cut at Kent State University specifically; they no longer offer a B.F.A. in Dance, a B.A. in Chemistry, or a B.S.E. in School Health Education among many others.
Ohio students whose programs were cancelled after they were already admitted are still able to complete their degrees, but no new students will be admitted into the programs. This protocol is called a teach-out.
Even so, many members of the faculty in those programs may be leaving much earlier to find more stable job opportunities, resulting in a less desirable experience for students who wish to stay in those programs.
“For students in Ohio currently in college there was beginning to be some uncertainty about whether or not their programs might exist in another year or two,” Marlin Collingwood, vice president of enrollment management, said.
Marketing for the scholarship began November 3, 2025, with the official announcement of the program to the public.
Additionally, three major Ohio university campuses were geofenced, a process where phones and email accounts in a certain geographical radius are sent information about the scholarship.
Also, around 540 students who were previously admitted to Point Park University, but decided instead to go to an Ohio-based university for one reason or another, were emailed to notify them of the Buckeye Fresh Start Scholarship.
“I believe we’ve had three students that transferred in January from Ohio state schools to Point Park,” said Collingwood, “and now we’re beginning to see as of Friday, we have 13 Ohio high school students who have applied and admitted and are receiving the Buckeye Scholarship that are coming this fall.”
When discussing whether he is aware of similar program cuts being planned in other states, Collingwood said, “There is anticipated legislation like this in the state of Indiana. There is legislation that I don’t believe has been signed into law yet in Colorado.”
At the moment, however, there is no plan for additional scholarships relating to those states due to the geographic gap between those states and Pennsylvania as opposed to Ohio, which is much closer.
