Ohio State Lima hosts celebration of university’s Regional Campus Commitment

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Ohio State Lima hosts celebration of university's Regional Campus Commitment

Program promises a tuition-free experience for qualifying students

The Ohio State University at Lima hosted a celebration Monday of a new program that enhances affordability and accessibility, enabling more low- to middle-income students to earn a degree from the university.

University leaders, state and local government officials, and industry leaders filled the Perry Webb Student Life Building to celebrate the Regional Campus Commitment program. New Ohio State President Ravi V. Bellamkonda said the commitment to the regional campus opens more opportunities to students in the state.

"Our vision as the land-grant and flagship university of Ohio is to give students, industry and communities here in Allen County and across Ohio agency and choice. Our regional campuses offer a special educational experience, small classes, great student-to-faculty ratios and local internships," he said.

Through the Regional Campus Commitment program, eligible new first-year students who enroll at one of the university's campuses in Lima, Mansfield, Marion or Newark or at Ohio State ATI in Wooster can now attend Ohio State without having to pay tuition or mandatory fees.

Starting in autumn semester 2026, the program promises a tuition-free experience for qualifying students whose family income is less than $100,000. Students can choose to complete an associate or bachelor's degree on a regional campus or transition to the Columbus campus.

"The Ohio State University was born of a radical promise, that higher education would not be a privilege to guard, but an opportunity to share," Margaret Young, dean and director of Ohio State Lima, said. "Our mission is to be accessible, practical and deeply connected to the needs of the people we serve."

Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, a Lima native, said the regional campus is an important part of the fabric of west central Ohio.

"This campus really represents the real measure of what a local community can be when we can access other wonderful, powerful organizations like Ohio State University," he said.

Representatives from Cenovus Energy, a corporate supporter of the Lima campus, said the tuition coverage provided by the program will help connect graduates to careers.

The regional campuses support educational and workforce development opportunities in their regions. Students who attend a regional campus or Ohio State ATI can pursue more than 200 majors, including programs in advanced manufacturing, engineering technology, health care, business and agriculture.

"This commitment is more than a scholarship, it's a promise," said Sophia Walker, a senior biology major. "A promise that Ohio State not only sees every student, but believes in every student and is willing to invest in them regardless of their circumstances."

The Regional Campus Commitment program is part of the university's goal to increase the number of two- and four-year degrees awarded across Ohio and is one of the new initiatives in the university's Education for Citizenship 2035 strategic plan.

The award covers the remaining tuition and mandatory fees after applying other federal, state and institutional aid. The award is similar to other programs at Ohio State, such as the Buckeye Opportunity Program, which covers tuition and mandatory fees for Ohio residents on all campuses who are Pell Grant-eligible and demonstrate significant need.

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