Cincy State received $10 million capital investment from State of Ohio

Academics, Board of Trustees, Community, Faculty & Staff

Aug 11, 2026

SW Ohio legislators visited the Kenwood Dealer Group Automotive Lab

Cincinnati State recently received a $10 million capital investment from the State of Ohio to help support improvements at the Clifton and Harrison campus locations.

The $10 million award is the result of efforts of the past two years to persuade State of Ohio officials to provide greater support for improving Cincinnati State’s facilities.

Cincinnati State’s Institutional Advancement office, led by Elliott Ruther, worked with President Monica Posey, Trustee John Silverman, and other Board of Trustees members and Cincinnati State Foundation Board members to gain State support.

SW Ohio legislators visited Cincinnati State's Clifton Campus (from left): Chief of Institutional Advancement Elliott Ruther, President Monica Posey, Trustee John Silverman, State Senator Cathy Ingram, State Representative Sedrick Denson, State Representative Michelle Teska, State Minority Leader Dani Isaacshon, US Senator Bernie Moreno Staff Member Evan Nash, State Representative Cecil Thomas, State Representative Mike Odioso, State Representative Karen Brownlee, US Senator Moreno Regional Director Steve Leahy, Trustee Cynthia Booth, Provost Robbin Hoopes — SW Ohio legislators visited Cincinnati State’s Clifton Campus (from left): Chief of Institutional Advancement Elliott Ruther, President Monica Posey, Trustee John Silverman, State Senator Cathy Ingram, State Representative Sedrick Denson, State Representative Michelle Teska, State Minority Leader Dani Isaacshon, US Senator Bernie Moreno Staff Member Evan Nash, State Representative Cecil Thomas, State Representative Mike Odioso, State Representative Karen Brownlee, US Senator Moreno Regional Director Steve Leahy, Trustee Cynthia Booth, Provost Robbin Hoopes

The work began two years ago with inviting a bipartisan delegation of Southwest Ohio state senators and representatives to Clifton Campus for first-hand examination of the Main Building’s B-Wing, where classrooms and labs for several programs are housed. The presentations and tours emphasized the need for capital improvements to support better student learning experiences.

A particular focus was the Main Building on Clifton Campus. This structure was built in 1953, originally to house Cincinnati’s Central High School (later named Courter Tech), making it the oldest building in use in any of Ohio’s 22 community colleges.

The legislators learned that Cincinnati State has received a little over $3 million each year from the State to address all capital assets of the College, including the entire Clifton campus, as well as the Harrison (Cincinnati West) and Evendale (Workforce Development Center) locations– not enough for basic maintenance, let alone enough to support needed improvements.

Ohio State Senator George Lang (center) visited the Mechanical Engineering Technology lab with President Posey and MET Program Chair Zane Decker — **Ohio State Senator George Lang (center) visited the Mechanical Engineering Technology lab with President Posey and Mechanical Engineering Technology Program Chair Zane Decker**

In addition to the clear need for greater capital support, the College presentations to State legislators highlighted numerous College success points as reasons to award additional funds to Cincinnati State. These achievements include growing enrollment; maintaining financial stability; achieving national and state recognition, including the best-in-Ohio average earnings for Cincinnati State graduates compared to other Ohio community colleges; increasing private fundraising; and demonstrating an economic impact of $1.3 billion for the region.

President Posey, Trustees, Ruther, and others organized additional campus visits by State officials, as well as meetings with officials in Columbus. Features of the visits included conversations in the Kenwood Dealer Group Automotive Lab, demonstrations in Mechanical Engineering Technology labs, and tours of the Health & Public Safety Simulation Lab as the example of a modernized space in the Main Building. State officials also visited the Aviation Maintenance Technology facilities in Harrison.

The specific appeal to the State involved three priority projects that are part of “Workforce Growth” emphasis within the College’s 5-year comprehensive fundraising campaign (for Fiscal Year 2023 through Fiscal Year 2027).

Establishing the Student Success Center/Main Street, an estimated $14 million project
Expanding the College’s Aviation Maintenance Technology campus in Harrison, estimated at $10.7 million
Renovating the Advanced Manufacturing wing of the Main Building on Clifton Campus, estimated at $13.3 million

Combined with College and philanthropic commitments, as well as a bipartisan Federal appropriation of $3 million, the College and the Cincinnati State Foundation have secured $28.6 million–75 percent of the funding needed to reach the $38 million goal for completing all three projects.

SW Ohio legislators visited Cincinnati State's Harrison Campus (from left): Harrison Councilmember Doug Abrams, US Senator Bernie Moreno Regional Director Steve Leahy, State Representative Mike Odioso, State Representative Cindy Abrams, President Monica Posey, Trustee John Silverman, Aviation Maintenance Technology Program Chair Jeff Wright — SW Ohio legislators visited Cincinnati State’s Harrison Campus (from left): Harrison Councilmember Doug Abrams, US Senator Bernie Moreno Regional Director Steve Leahy, State Representative Mike Odioso, State Representative Cindy Abrams, President Monica Posey, Trustee John Silverman, Aviation Maintenance Technology Program Chair Jeff Wright

“Governor DeWine, Lt. Gov. Tressel, the Ohio General Assembly and its leadership, and our Southwest Ohio delegation have made an important investment in the future workforce of our region,” President Posey said.

Ruther expressed appreciation for the support provided by corporate advocates including GE Aerospace, Auto and Aviation associations, REDI Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Regional Chamber. Ruther also recognized faculty leaders in Aviation Maintenance Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, and Automotive Service Management, as well as staff in the Health & Public Safety SIM Lab, Information Technology Services, Facilities, Marketing, and programs like CState Accelerate and TRIO for their work with him and the Institutional Advancement staff to prepare for and welcome officials to the campuses.

Trustee Silverman thanked College administrators, faculty, and staff members for “the incredible work you do every day” that contributed to the successful efforts to gain additional State funding.