Westlake resident selected for Tri-C humanities center's inaugural class

Christopher Kovacic

Christopher Kovacic of Westlake is in the first class of future leaders attending the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center at Cuyahoga Community College. Kovacic is among the 24 students selected for the inaugural class at the Mandel Humanities Center, which opened this semester at Tri-C’s Eastern Campus in Highland Hills.

The College launched the center to offer a unique liberal arts learning environment with programming designed to cultivate civically responsible citizens who will lead Northeast Ohio toward a stronger future. The goal is for the center to become a national model for addressing community concerns through the lens of the liberal arts.

“The students selected for the inaugural class of Mandel Scholars are passionate, engaged learners,” said Lauren Onkey, chair and dean of the Humanities Center. “They represent the diversity of our community and the breadth of programs across all Tri-C campuses.”

The Mandel Scholars are taking a special course exploring humanities disciplines and how they can be applied in the community. Students also are working with The City Club of Cleveland to organize a May forum to discuss issues facing Northeast Ohio.

The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation and the Mandel Supporting Foundations awarded $10 million to the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation earlier this year to establish the center. The gift – the largest in Tri-C’s history – established a permanent endowment to support the center and its initiatives, including scholarships for high-performing students accepted as Mandel Scholars.

It is anticipated that the academy will grow to include more than 200 scholars beginning with the 2016 fall semester. For information on how to apply, visit tri-c.edu/ScholarsAcademy or call 216-987-2600.