What a year this has been! I can hardly believe that June 1 marked my first anniversary as president of Cleveland State University. Each day, my respect for our students, faculty and staff grows, and I gain a deeper understanding of CSU’s impact on individual lives and on the future of Northeast Ohio.
I cannot say it enough – I am honored and humbled to serve as chief cheerleader of this great university.
This issue of Cleveland State highlights several first-year achievements, including seven strategic priorities to guide CSU into the future, produced in collaboration with the campus community.

We also announced new initiatives to further support student success, including Cleveland’s selection as the nation’s fourth Say Yes to Education city. Eligible students in the Cleveland Metropolitan Schools will receive scholarships toward tuition for postsecondary education. We know many of them will attend CSU.
Complementing Say Yes, a major investment from our long-standing corporate partner will create the Parker Hannifin Living and Learning Community at CSU for students graduating from the Cleveland schools.
We also have new partnerships with Cuyahoga Community College and Lorain County Community College. Both programs provide students dual admission at CSU and these schools, creating a cost-effective and time-efficient pathway to a four-year degree.
We are proud to introduce Cleveland State Global, a new public-private partnership that will connect undergraduate and graduate international students to our unique brand of Engaged Learning and real-world experiences with Cleveland’s business community.
We are all about student success. It drives everything we do. Our strategic priorities and new initiatives reinforce CSU’s reputation as a cost-value leader and help students graduate in a timely manner with the skills and knowledge needed for career success.
Approximately 4,000 students graduate every year from CSU – and 80 percent of them choose to remain in Northeast Ohio to pursue their careers, raise their families, and give back to the community. These graduates are our greatest success story.
Let’s continue to take CSU and our students Forward Together.
Harlan M. Sands, J.D., M.B.A.
President, Cleveland State University

“Forward Together” has been the focus of President Harlan Sands’ first year at Cleveland State University. Now, in that spirit, the University is charting a bright future by focusing its resources on seven key priorities, or pillars.

CSU partners with CMSD, Tri-C, and LCCC to expand college access through initiatives like Say Yes, Degree Link, and UP Express, offering scholarships, dual admission, and wraparound support.

Helping students succeed through Say Yes to Education is the Parker Hannifin Corporation, a longtime partner of CSU.
CSU is the only public university in Ohio to partner with Boston-based Shorelight Education. This new collaboration will connect international students seeking an American education with CSU and provide job opportunities after graduation.

With a Viking network of more than 126,000 alumni, CSU graduates provide the brainpower and personpower for successful careers in Northeast Ohio, the nation and the world.

“I was born with one skill, writing,” says Mark Lantz, BA ’87 and MACTM ’90. Some might call that an understatement.

Cleveland attorney and business leader P. Kelly Tompkins has made a $750,000 gift to his alma mater, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, to establish a substantive leadership education program for law students.

Three star student-athletes comprise the 41st class of the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Congratulations to J’Nathan Bullock, BA ’09, men’s basketball, Kailey Klein, BBA ’10, women’s basketball and Phil Orno, BA ’10, men’s tennis.

The Cleveland Foundation has awarded a $2.2 million, one-year grant to the Internet of Things Collaborative (IoTC), a partnership between Case Western Reserve University and CSU

A team of CSU faculty and students has developed a new web application that will improve access to drug treatment services, reduce wait times and better ensure that individuals get the help they need.

A tin can, three cups, four balls, some string, a deck of cards and, of course, a magic wand. That’s all it took to get Elie Haoui hooked.

After an intensive national search, CSU selected Scott Garrett as its seventh director of athletics, providing leadership and oversight for 18 NCAA Division I sports.

Northeast Ohio marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River igniting. Cleveland State, with its prime location near the river and Lake Erie, is joining in the celebration.

Water leaks… burst pipes… they can be an expensive problem for homeowners and municipalities alike. But researchers at Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University are helping the city of Lakewood stop leaks before they happen.

To protect the interests of residents, businesses and the environment, should the requirements of a local environmental ordinance take precedence over state laws supporting natural resources business development?

Imagine seven years of grueling work depending on one day of ideal Northeast Ohio weather. CSU alumnus David Kriska doesn’t have to imagine. He lived it.

Student Shaun Clark received hands-on engineering experience when he traveled to the western end of Panama to study a community’s water needs.

Mekki Bayachou was teaching his students about the physical chemistry of global warming when a National Public Radio story gave him a crazy idea.

With a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CSU is investigating the effect of a key enzyme on plaque build-up, which could be central to developing effective genetic therapies for addressing Atherosclerosis.

Entrepreneurs and startups have a new home in the Weston Ideation Lab, a space designed around the unique needs of venture development.

Thanks to everyone who helped make CSU’s sixth-annual Giving Day another record-breaking success! Nearly 2,000 donors made gifts totaling $305,000 in a 24-hour period — shattering last year’s $269,000 total.

Surpassing $2 million for the first time, a record $2,080,510 was raised by Radiance 2019!

The CSU Alumni Association has been on the road, engaging with graduates near and far. All trips featured CSU “Then and Now” presentations, receptions that drew large and enthusiastic audiences, and a very special guest – President Harlan Sands.

“Forward Together” has been the focus of President Harlan Sands’ first year at Cleveland State University. Now, in that spirit, the University is charting a bright future by focusing its resources on seven key priorities, or pillars.

Helping students succeed through Say Yes to Education is the Parker Hannifin Corporation, a longtime partner of CSU.

With a Viking network of more than 126,000 alumni, CSU graduates provide the brainpower and personpower for successful careers in Northeast Ohio, the nation and the world.

Cleveland attorney and business leader P. Kelly Tompkins has made a $750,000 gift to his alma mater, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, to establish a substantive leadership education program for law students.

The Cleveland Foundation has awarded a $2.2 million, one-year grant to the Internet of Things Collaborative (IoTC), a partnership between Case Western Reserve University and CSU

A tin can, three cups, four balls, some string, a deck of cards and, of course, a magic wand. That’s all it took to get Elie Haoui hooked.

Northeast Ohio marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River igniting. Cleveland State, with its prime location near the river and Lake Erie, is joining in the celebration.

To protect the interests of residents, businesses and the environment, should the requirements of a local environmental ordinance take precedence over state laws supporting natural resources business development?

Student Shaun Clark received hands-on engineering experience when he traveled to the western end of Panama to study a community’s water needs.

With a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CSU is investigating the effect of a key enzyme on plaque build-up, which could be central to developing effective genetic therapies for addressing Atherosclerosis.

Thanks to everyone who helped make CSU’s sixth-annual Giving Day another record-breaking success! Nearly 2,000 donors made gifts totaling $305,000 in a 24-hour period — shattering last year’s $269,000 total.

The CSU Alumni Association has been on the road, engaging with graduates near and far. All trips featured CSU “Then and Now” presentations, receptions that drew large and enthusiastic audiences, and a very special guest – President Harlan Sands.

CSU partners with CMSD, Tri-C, and LCCC to expand college access through initiatives like Say Yes, Degree Link, and UP Express, offering scholarships, dual admission, and wraparound support.
CSU is the only public university in Ohio to partner with Boston-based Shorelight Education. This new collaboration will connect international students seeking an American education with CSU and provide job opportunities after graduation.

“I was born with one skill, writing,” says Mark Lantz, BA ’87 and MACTM ’90. Some might call that an understatement.

Three star student-athletes comprise the 41st class of the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Congratulations to J’Nathan Bullock, BA ’09, men’s basketball, Kailey Klein, BBA ’10, women’s basketball and Phil Orno, BA ’10, men’s tennis.

A team of CSU faculty and students has developed a new web application that will improve access to drug treatment services, reduce wait times and better ensure that individuals get the help they need.

After an intensive national search, CSU selected Scott Garrett as its seventh director of athletics, providing leadership and oversight for 18 NCAA Division I sports.

Water leaks… burst pipes… they can be an expensive problem for homeowners and municipalities alike. But researchers at Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University are helping the city of Lakewood stop leaks before they happen.

Imagine seven years of grueling work depending on one day of ideal Northeast Ohio weather. CSU alumnus David Kriska doesn’t have to imagine. He lived it.

Mekki Bayachou was teaching his students about the physical chemistry of global warming when a National Public Radio story gave him a crazy idea.

Entrepreneurs and startups have a new home in the Weston Ideation Lab, a space designed around the unique needs of venture development.

Surpassing $2 million for the first time, a record $2,080,510 was raised by Radiance 2019!

“Forward Together” has been the focus of President Harlan Sands’ first year at Cleveland State University. Now, in that spirit, the University is charting a bright future by focusing its resources on seven key priorities, or pillars.
CSU is the only public university in Ohio to partner with Boston-based Shorelight Education. This new collaboration will connect international students seeking an American education with CSU and provide job opportunities after graduation.

Cleveland attorney and business leader P. Kelly Tompkins has made a $750,000 gift to his alma mater, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, to establish a substantive leadership education program for law students.

A team of CSU faculty and students has developed a new web application that will improve access to drug treatment services, reduce wait times and better ensure that individuals get the help they need.

Northeast Ohio marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River igniting. Cleveland State, with its prime location near the river and Lake Erie, is joining in the celebration.

Imagine seven years of grueling work depending on one day of ideal Northeast Ohio weather. CSU alumnus David Kriska doesn’t have to imagine. He lived it.

With a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), CSU is investigating the effect of a key enzyme on plaque build-up, which could be central to developing effective genetic therapies for addressing Atherosclerosis.

Surpassing $2 million for the first time, a record $2,080,510 was raised by Radiance 2019!

CSU partners with CMSD, Tri-C, and LCCC to expand college access through initiatives like Say Yes, Degree Link, and UP Express, offering scholarships, dual admission, and wraparound support.

With a Viking network of more than 126,000 alumni, CSU graduates provide the brainpower and personpower for successful careers in Northeast Ohio, the nation and the world.

Three star student-athletes comprise the 41st class of the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Congratulations to J’Nathan Bullock, BA ’09, men’s basketball, Kailey Klein, BBA ’10, women’s basketball and Phil Orno, BA ’10, men’s tennis.

A tin can, three cups, four balls, some string, a deck of cards and, of course, a magic wand. That’s all it took to get Elie Haoui hooked.

Water leaks… burst pipes… they can be an expensive problem for homeowners and municipalities alike. But researchers at Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University are helping the city of Lakewood stop leaks before they happen.

Student Shaun Clark received hands-on engineering experience when he traveled to the western end of Panama to study a community’s water needs.

Entrepreneurs and startups have a new home in the Weston Ideation Lab, a space designed around the unique needs of venture development.

The CSU Alumni Association has been on the road, engaging with graduates near and far. All trips featured CSU “Then and Now” presentations, receptions that drew large and enthusiastic audiences, and a very special guest – President Harlan Sands.

Helping students succeed through Say Yes to Education is the Parker Hannifin Corporation, a longtime partner of CSU.

“I was born with one skill, writing,” says Mark Lantz, BA ’87 and MACTM ’90. Some might call that an understatement.

The Cleveland Foundation has awarded a $2.2 million, one-year grant to the Internet of Things Collaborative (IoTC), a partnership between Case Western Reserve University and CSU

After an intensive national search, CSU selected Scott Garrett as its seventh director of athletics, providing leadership and oversight for 18 NCAA Division I sports.

To protect the interests of residents, businesses and the environment, should the requirements of a local environmental ordinance take precedence over state laws supporting natural resources business development?

Mekki Bayachou was teaching his students about the physical chemistry of global warming when a National Public Radio story gave him a crazy idea.

Thanks to everyone who helped make CSU’s sixth-annual Giving Day another record-breaking success! Nearly 2,000 donors made gifts totaling $305,000 in a 24-hour period — shattering last year’s $269,000 total.