CPS Strong

Our city is only as strong as our public schools. And our university is only as strong as its city. That’s why we’ve made a commitment to Cincinnati Public Schools, creating opportunities for CPS students that support college readiness, access and success.

Learn more about scholarships and grants available for CPS students:


What is CPS Strong?

CPS Strong is a university-wide strategic enrollment initiative that focuses on recruitment, persistence, retention, and graduation of former Cincinnati Public School students attending the University of Cincinnati. 

CPS Strong is a partnership across UC, Cincinnati Public Schools, and the broader Cincinnati community to support readiness, create access, and foster success for CPS students by aligning and co-designing programs and services in order to facilitate a more robust, system-wide ecosystem of support, with the student at the center.

How does CPS Strong work?

While sudents are still attending CPS, they are educated about college preparation and given the necessary resources to ensure a smooth transition into higher education.

CPS Strong focuses on three main factors:

Readiness

CPS Strong starts in middle school (grades 6-9) to make sure students have everything they need to take their future into their own hands. Summer programs are available for high school sophomores and juniors, specific to academic disciplines they want to explore in college.

Access

CPS Strong aims to remove barriers within the college application process and affordability. We provide resources that help with financial aid, scholarship information, campus tours, bearcat bootcamps, counselor breakfasts, and more.

Our main goal is to make attending college easier and more accessible for our community. 

Success

Once a CPS student has become a student at the University of Cincinnati, CPS Strong coaches continue to provide institutional resources, encourage academic achievement, and make sure we are creating a robust experience-- not only academically, but experientially.

Of course, success (to us) looks like becoming a Bearcat, but beyond that, the success of CPS Strong means building a stronger and more inclusive Cincinnati.

Why was CPS Strong created?

As the major university in Cincinnati with a large footprint in our community, we have a commitment to ensure all CPS students have access to quality education and to prepare the workforce needed to sustain our city’s economic growth.

Our city is only as strong as our public school system. CPS Strong works to establish an institution-wide model to engage and empower Cincinnati Public School students. By aligning programs and services to ensure readiness, create access, and foster success, we can achieve educational transformation and positively impact the future of our university and our city.


Headshot of Lori L. Wright, Ed.D

Lori L. Wright, Ed.D

Director, CPS Strong

513-556-2192

CPS Strong Stories

1

CCM Prep, Benjamin Carlson-Berne Fund expand free lessons for...

February 7, 2025

Cincinnati's Movers and Makers magazine recently featured CCM Prep and the Benjamin Carlson-Berne Scholarship Fund (BCB). A new partnership between CCM Prep and the BCB Fund will continue its mission to provide instrumental or vocal classical music lessons for underserved youth in the Cincinnati community and provide support to select Cincinnati Public School instrumental music programs.

2

CPS, UC team up to expand mental health support for students

January 31, 2025

A partnership between the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), Central State University in Ohio (CSU) and local mental health agencies has been formed to address the growing mental health needs of K-12 students in the region.

3

Cincinnati Media: Big surprises for future UC Bearcats

January 30, 2025

Media from across Greater Cincinnati provided coverage of Decision Day 2025 activities at the University of Cincinnati. Five area high school students were surprised with admission, scholarships and a visit by the Bearcat Mascot, UC band and cheer team. UC Vice Provost Jack Miner welcomed the newest Bearcats to the university.

5

UC partners with Cincinnati Public Schools on $3.75M initiative

January 3, 2025

A partnership between the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), Central State University in Ohio (CSU) and local mental health agencies has been formed to address the growing mental health needs of K-12 students in the region. The program is federally funded by a $3.75M grant from the Department of Education.

6

UC receives $3.75M in federal funding for K-12 mental health...

December 18, 2024

A three-year, $3.75 million grant from the Department of Education aims to address critical gaps in the mental health and educational landscape by providing tuition stipends for UC graduate students majoring in school and mental health counseling, school psychology and social work.

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