About Us

Formed in 1967, SOCHE is a consortium of colleges and universities in Ohio that promotes educated, employed, and engaged citizens.

Mission

SOCHE is a leader for higher collaboration, engaging with colleges, universities, and industry to transform the economy through education and employment.

values

SOCHE Membership:
Something for Everyone

College and University Deans, Officers, and Directors

Councils or committees for most program directors on campus to collaborate with peers at other institutions. Go to the Councils and Committees page
Special task forces to tackle pressing issues, like COVID-19.
ODHE advocate for significant concerns impacting institutions.
Collaborative grant opportunities.

Students

Hundreds of paid internship opportunities for most career fields and all education levels. Go to the SOCHEintern page
Fellowship research opportunities for masters and doctoral level students. Go to the DAGSI page
Federal Employment webpages to help with the process of applying for any federal position. Go to the Federal Employment page
Cross Registration to allow eligible students to attend classes that are unavailable at their home institutions. Go to the Cross Registration page
Volunteer opportunities and resources. Go to the Volunteer page
Fast access to degree and certification program information. Go to the Degree Finder page

Faculty and Staff

Hundreds of FREE webinars are available for personal and classroom use through a partnership with Innovative Educators. Go to the Webinars page
Opportunities for personal and professional development through workshops, lunch and learns, and flexible course delivery webinars on various topics. Go to the Events page
Collaborative meetings to share best practices, resources, and professional development tools. Go to the Councils and Committees page
Funding opportunities to support research. Go to the DAGSI page

SOCHE by the Numbers

We’ve collected statistics for enrollment and achievements of all SOCHE members over the past six academic years. Scroll over the table below to highlight a specific stat and see how it has evolved.

SOCHE Members Combined Stats	2019-20	2018-19	2017-18	2016-17	2015-16	2014-15	2013-14	2012-13	2011-12	2010-11	2009-10	2008-09	2007-08
Students enrolled (FTE)	138,266	137,427	146,197	149,762	149,236	150,788	89,339	90,459	85,759	71,336	63,278	64,080	62,410
Students enrolled (Unduplicated Headcount)	226, 384	219,296	189,536	194,699	227,620	230,158	155,564	117,770	108,211	117,115	112,508	108,898	104,059
Out of state students*	4,013	4,511	3,670	4,047	4,948	5,137	1,755*	5,639	1,779	2,111	1,711	2,099	1,981
Undergraduate degrees awarded	19,109	19,810	22,672	22,693	20,375	21,712	10,718	10,976	9,908	6,271	6,791	6,760	6,418
Associate degrees awarded	6,544	6,291	6,239	6,346	5,872	5,313	4,567	5,102	3,437	3,649	3,273	3,307	3,055
Undergraduate STEMM degrees awarded	4,827	4,973	9,909	9,793	2,368	2,105	1,195	1,215	5,477	1,648	1,459	1,460	1,372
Undergraduate degrees awarded to Black and Hispanic students	2,089	2,159	3,184	3,063	2,266	2,380	1,806	3,342	1,377	918	890	890	914
Graduate and professional degrees awarded	8,875	8,864	10,996	10,913	9,604	9,169	5,184	5,182	5,764	3,413	2,874	2,918	2,958
Graduate and professional degrees awarded to Black and Hispanic students	914	903	1,266	1,201	1,067	1,054	889	996	994	314	373	272	307
Certificates awarded	8,085	8,227	6,019	5,566	5,902	4,592	2,016	3,173	2,712	2,734	2,653	2,110	2,419

* First time undergraduates only. Only 19 institutions reported this statistic. 20 institutions reported for 16-17 and 17-18 years.

Economic Impact Study

This study employs data from SOCHE member institutions about enrollment, staffing, revenues, and expenditures, along with data from other research on non-local student and visitor spending, taxes, and employment by industry to assess the impacts on the economy.

Sponsor a student intern

Our entire SOCHE Team would like to pause and thank our regional and Ohio communities for helping build the next generation of workforce through our SOCHE Internships! Our team is passionate about our communities, and our interns are ready to work hard to make them thrive!

This is your chance to inspire a student’s journey by sponsoring one high school or one college student internship. Your contribution will be directly applied toward the designated internship of your choice. SOCHE will work with employers to ensure students are matched with their best opportunity.

The History of SOCHE

In 1967, the DMVC was formed to promote community service and inter-institutional cooperation in order to achieve educational advancement, research development, and administrative efficiency of the member institutions. 50+ years later we strive for the same goals by connecting higher education institutions to increase opportunity, propel change, and promote education.

DMVC is Created

The Dayton Miami Valley Consortium was created in 1967 with the purpose of serving students and higher education in the Miami Valley.

Xenia Tornado

SOCHE worked with member institutions to respond to the Xenia Tornado of 1974.

Project Reach

Project Reach guided individuals into a college education by providing encouragement, information, and opportunities for success.

Established SOCHE office at Wright-Patterson AFB

1979-2017 this office worked to provide better educational opportunities for military personnel and promote a better relationship between Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the local community.

DMVC name change to SOCHE (Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education)

Faculty Retreat for Diversity Awareness

SOCHE created the Diversity Awareness and Campus Climate Committee and hosted workshops on strengthening diversity in higher education.

Technology in the Classroom & Distance Learning Workshop

This hands-on workshop featured advanced sessions on working with technology in the classroom and distance education.

GC3 (formerly GCCCU) Partnership

This agreement with the Greater Cincinnati Collegiate Connection (GC3) continues to allow SOCHE students to cross-register with GC3 institutions in a manner similar to the current cross-registration process within SOCHE.

SOCHE Sustainability Committee

The SOCHE Sustainability Committee was formed to share information with member institutions and to work towards economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

SOCHE Intern

SOCHE Intern’s focus is working with businesses, city, and county government organizations across the Miami Valley to recruit and hire interns. Since 2012, SOCHE has developed relationships with over 50 companies and governmental agencies across the region and places hundreds of interns in companies with a variety of specialty areas to include human resources, business administration, marketing, supply chain management, engineering, program management, quality control, and many more.

TEDx Dayton

SOCHE became the fiscal agent for TEDx Dayton.

First Ohio Internship and Co-Op Appreciation Day Observed

Senator Bill Beagle’s office worked closely with the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) to envision Senate Bill 227 and present proponent testimony to the Ohio Senate and House. Gov. John Kasich recently signed into law Senate Bill 227, sponsored by Sen. Bill Beagle, “to designate the second Tuesday of April as Ohio Internship and Co-op Appreciation Day.”

In partnership with CareSource, SOCHE celebrated the inaugural Ohio Internship and Co-Op Appreciation Day on Tuesday, April 14, at CareSource in downtown Dayton.

Innovative Educators

SOCHE established a partnership with Innovative Educators to provide our members access to over 300 professional development training courses, as well as access to unlimited live webinars covering the most pressing topics in higher education.

APDC

SOCHE welcomes the Aerospace Professional Development Center (APDC) to help shape the future growth of the aerospace and aviation industry.

Career Adventures Camp

The goal of the Career Adventures Camp was to provide Dayton area middle schoolers an opportunity to learn about and visit locations of in-demand career fields.

Dayton Strong

SOCHE joins other area organizations to host the Dayton Strong Benefit Concert to raise funds for people affected by the 2019 Dayton Tornado.

Workforce We Need Summit

The purpose of the Workforce We Need Summit was to bring together Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) leadership with Ohio College and University leadership to share the current and future workforce opportunities at WPAFB. This event provided college leadership with an understanding of WPAFB missions and the career opportunities available.

COVID Taskforce

SOCHE conducted collaborative meetings to bring together leaders from SOCHE colleges and universities to discuss COVID-19 challenges, share best practices, and define new policies and procedures for schools to reopen.

55th Anniversary

SOCHE Celebrates it 55th Anniversary Reception

High School Healthcare Preceptorship

The Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE), through its strong intern programming is collaborating with the Ohio Departments of Higher Education, Health and Development, and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation to encourage High School students to pursue careers in Healthcare by accepting a preceptorship in a healthcare setting.

1967

1968

1974

1975

1978

1979

1980's

1984

1988

1993

1996

1998

2000

2001

2002

2008

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Consortium Libraries Share Materials

Librarians from SOCHE member libraries shared resources through an agreement with United Parcel Service for delivery service at $2 a week per institution.

Cross Registration Program

Created and continues to provide eligible students enrolled at any SOCHE member institution the opportunity to register and receive credit for courses offered by other participating SOCHE institutions.

Committee on the Academic Uses of the Computer for Education

1978-1988 this committee worked to integrate computer technology into education.

Air Force Research Lab (AFRL)

AFRL’s goal was to provide student interns in support of AFRL’s mission of providing world class research and development to advance the Air Force mission.

Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT)
The original AFIT contract was awarded in the late 1980’s. The goal was to provide student interns to support AFIT’s mission-essential role of providing high-quality academic and continuing education, research, and development programs to enable the Air Force to sustain its competitive advantage.

Cable Television for Educational Outreach Committee

Identified first generation and economically disadvantaged youth to either reenroll in high school or the equivalent for a postsecondary degree.

Articulation Workshop: Reducing Barriers and Expanding Educational Opportunities

Created a more visible presence for the work of transfer advisors on member campuses.

Degree Finder

Pioneered the new SOCHE Degree Finder which provides the Miami Valley’s first web-based listing of over 700 degrees offered by SOCHE member institutions.

Democracy in Action Award

13 campuses received Democracy in Action awards for hosting events following the tragedies of 9/11 & SOCHE conducted a faculty retreat focused on Higher Education’s reaction to International Conflict and Terrorism.

SOCHE Talks

In collaboration with ThinkTV and WYSO, SOCHE Talks was designed to enlighten the listener with knowledge from higher education institutions in Southwestern Ohio.

Ohio Internship and Co-op Appreciation Day

SOCHE President worked with Senator Beagle on the development and passage of the Ohio Internship and Co-op Appreciation Day (2nd Tuesday in April).

SOCHE Ed

The “We’re All In” conference brought 200 colleagues to the Dayton Art Institute (DAI) to discuss the future of higher education.

CINDAY CYBER Created

Cincinnati-Dayton Cyber Corridor was created to establish and enhance Southwestern Ohio’s reputation as a national leader in cybersecurity education, research and private and public partnerships.

Ohio Community Connectors

The grant allowed SOCHE to work with underserved middle school children in the Dayton region to provide them an overview of in-demand careers through camp activities.

SOCHE Engage

SOCHE Engage creates regional workforce initiatives and internship management to connect industry employers with talented students to develop the workforce of tomorrow by providing experiential learning opportunities to students through paid internships.

myVeteran Community

myVeteran Community joins SOCHE to encourage community involvement. VA and community leaders have begun participating more actively in community-based efforts to maximize the collective impact of local services, stakeholders, and federal/state agencies working together to improve Veteran outcomes.

20 By 20 CHALLENGE

SOCHE launched the 20 by 20 Challenge in 2013 focused on increasing the number of internships in the region to 20,000 per year by 2020. Eight years later, the number of internships has increased at an annual growth rate of over 10%!

Launch of Federal Employment Portal

Portal designed to provide all job seekers quick and easy access to Federal employment opportunities.

SOCHE Changes Names

SOCHE changes name from Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education to Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education to better reflect the mission and expanding services that extend beyond Southwestern Ohio.

Veterans Workshop

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, honors SOCHE for its production of the veterans workshop.

Ohio High School Tech Internship

The Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education is an Intermediary through a State grant to assist employers hire tech High School students in West and Northwest Ohio. Over 600 students were employed.

Committee on the Academic Uses of the Computer for Education

1978-1988 this committee worked to integrate computer technology into education.

Air Force Research Lab (AFRL)

AFRL’s goal was to provide student interns in support of AFRL’s mission of providing world class research and development to advance the Air Force mission.

Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT)

The original AFIT contract was awarded in the late 1980’s. The goal was to provide student interns to support AFIT’s mission-essential role of providing high-quality academic and continuing education, research, and development programs to enable the Air Force to sustain its competitive advantage.

Cable Television for Educational Outreach Committee

Identified first generation and economically disadvantaged youth to either reenroll in high school or the equivalent for a postsecondary degree.

1978

1979

1980's

1984

1988

Established SOCHE office at Wright-Patterson AFB

1979-2017 this office worked to provide better educational opportunities for military personnel and promote a better relationship between Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the local community.

DMVC name change to SOCHE (Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education)

Faculty Retreat for Diversity Awareness

SOCHE created the Diversity Awareness and Campus Climate Committee and hosted workshops on strengthening diversity in higher education.

Technology in the Classroom & Distance Learning Workshop

This hands-on workshop featured advanced sessions on working with technology in the classroom and distance education.

GC3 (formerly GCCCU) Partnership

1993

1996

1998

2000

2001

Articulation Workshop: Reducing Barriers and Expanding Educational Opportunities

Created a more visible presence for the work of transfer advisors on member campuses.

Degree Finder

Pioneered the new SOCHE Degree Finder which provides the Miami Valley’s first web-based listing of over 700 degrees offered by SOCHE member institutions.

Democracy in Action Award

SOCHE Talks

In collaboration with ThinkTV and WYSO, SOCHE Talks was designed to enlighten the listener with knowledge from higher education institutions in Southwestern Ohio.

Ohio Internship and Co-op Appreciation Day

SOCHE President worked with Senator Beagle on the development and passage of the Ohio Internship and Co-op Appreciation Day (2nd Tuesday in April).

2002

2008

2011

2012

2013

SOCHE Sustainability Committee

The SOCHE Sustainability Committee was formed to share information with member institutions and to work towards economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

SOCHE Intern

TEDx Dayton

SOCHE became the fiscal agent for TEDx Dayton.

First Ohio Internship and Co-Op Appreciation Day Observed

Innovative Educators

2014

2015

2016

2017

SOCHE Ed

The “We’re All In” conference brought 200 colleagues to the Dayton Art Institute (DAI) to discuss the future of higher education.

CINDAY CYBER Created

Cincinnati-Dayton Cyber Corridor was created to establish and enhance Southwestern Ohio’s reputation as a national leader in cybersecurity education, research and private and public partnerships.

Ohio Community Connectors

The grant allowed SOCHE to work with underserved middle school children in the Dayton region to provide them an overview of in-demand careers through camp activities.

SOCHE Engage

myVeteran Community

2017

2018

APDC

SOCHE welcomes the Aerospace Professional Development Center (APDC) to help shape the future growth of the aerospace and aviation industry.

Career Adventures Camp

The goal of the Career Adventures Camp was to provide Dayton area middle schoolers an opportunity to learn about and visit locations of in-demand career fields.

Dayton Strong

SOCHE joins other area organizations to host the Dayton Strong Benefit Concert to raise funds for people affected by the 2019 Dayton Tornado.

Workforce We Need Summit

2019

2020

20 By 20 CHALLENGE

Launch of Federal Employment Portal

Portal designed to provide all job seekers quick and easy access to Federal employment opportunities.

SOCHE Changes Names

SOCHE changes name from Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education to (Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education) to better reflect the mission and expanding services that extend beyond Southwestern Ohio.

2020

2021

COVID Taskforce

DMVC is Created

The Dayton Miami Valley Consortium was created in 1967 with the purpose of serving students and higher education in the Miami Valley.

1967

Consortium Libraries Share Materials

Librarians from SOCHE member libraries shared resources through an agreement with United Parcel Service for delivery service at $2 a week per institution.

1968

Xenia Tornado

SOCHE worked with member institutions to respond to the Xenia Tornado of 1974.

1974

Cross Registration Program

1975

Project Reach

Project Reach guided individuals into a college education by providing encouragement, information, and opportunities for success.

1975

Committee on the Academic Uses of the Computer for Education

1978-1988 this committee worked to integrate computer technology into education.

1978

Air Force Research Lab (AFRL)

AFRL’s goal was to provide student interns in support of AFRL’s mission of providing world class research and development to advance the Air Force mission.

Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT)

The original AFIT contract was awarded in the late 1980’s. The goal was to provide student interns to support AFIT’s mission-essential role of providing high-quality academic and continuing education, research, and development programs to enable the Air Force to sustain its competitive advantage.

1980's

DMVC name change to SOCHE (Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education)

1984

Cable Television for Educational Outreach Committee

Identified first generation and economically disadvantaged youth to either reenroll in high school or the equivalent for a postsecondary degree.

1988

Faculty Retreat for Diversity Awareness

SOCHE created the Diversity Awareness and Campus Climate Committee and hosted workshops on strengthening diversity in higher education.

1993

Articulation Workshop: Reducing Barriers and Expanding Educational Opportunities

Created a more visible presence for the work of transfer advisors on member campuses.

1996

Technology in the Classroom & Distance Learning Workshop

This hands-on workshop featured advanced sessions on working with technology in the classroom and distance education.

1998

Degree Finder

Pioneered the new SOCHE Degree Finder which provides the Miami Valley’s first web-based listing of over 700 degrees offered by SOCHE member institutions.

2000

GC3 (formerly GCCCU) Partnership

2001

Democracy in Action Award

2002

SOCHE Sustainability Committee

The SOCHE Sustainability Committee was formed to share information with member institutions and to work towards economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

2008

SOCHE Talks

In collaboration with ThinkTV and WYSO, SOCHE Talks was designed to enlighten the listener with knowledge from higher education institutions in Southwestern Ohio.

2011

SOCHE Intern

2012

Ohio Internship and Co-op Appreciation Day

SOCHE President worked with Senator Beagle on the development and passage of the Ohio Internship and Co-op Appreciation Day (2nd Tuesday in April).

2013

TEDx Dayton

SOCHE became the fiscal agent for TEDx Dayton.

2014

SOCHE Ed

The “We’re All In” conference brought 200 colleagues to the Dayton Art Institute (DAI) to discuss the future of higher education.

2014

First Ohio Internship and Co-Op Appreciation Day Observed

2015

CINDAY CYBER Created

Cincinnati-Dayton Cyber Corridor was created to establish and enhance Southwestern Ohio’s reputation as a national leader in cybersecurity education, research and private and public partnerships.

2016

Innovative Educators

2017

Ohio Community Connectors

The grant allowed SOCHE to work with underserved middle school children in the Dayton region to provide them an overview of in-demand careers through camp activities.

2017

APDC

SOCHE welcomes the Aerospace Professional Development Center (APDC) to help shape the future growth of the aerospace and aviation industry.

2018

SOCHE Engage

2018

Career Adventures Camp

The goal of the Career Adventures Camp was to provide Dayton area middle schoolers an opportunity to learn about and visit locations of in-demand career fields.

2018

myVeteran Community

2018

Dayton Strong

SOCHE joins other area organizations to host the Dayton Strong Benefit Concert to raise funds for people affected by the 2019 Dayton Tornado.

2019

20 By 20 CHALLENGE

2020

Workforce We Need Summit

2020

Launch of Federal Employment Portal

Portal designed to provide all job seekers quick and easy access to Federal employment opportunities.

2020

COVID Taskforce

2020

SOCHE Changes Names

2021

Meet Our Members

SOCHE is an alliance of academic organizations that provide higher education in their communities. Each member is an advocate of innovation, opportunity and success. They strive to promote scholastic achievement through the development of new technologies and quality education.

Meet the SOCHE Team

Cassie Barlow

President

Patty Buddelmeyer

Executive Vice-President of Development

Karen Manzo

Senior Vice-President of Finance & Contracts

Sandra Logan Wild

Senior Business Manager

Mindy Claggett

Executive Manager, Member Professional Development

Brittany Edwards

Executive Program Manager

Lauren Mitchell

DAGSI Program Manager

Melissa Quinn

Senior Program Manager, Customer Relations, and Industry Sector Partnerships

Sandy Henry

Executive Program Manager

Kersten Rosenberger

Executive Program Manager

Jesse Griffin

Marketing Director

Madelyn Schaeffer

Program Manager

Shirlene Vonderheide

Senior Accountant

Casey Pettit

Senior Program Manager

Board of Trustees

SOCHE is governed by a Board of Trustees which includes presidents and representatives from member colleges, universities, and corporations.

The Executive Committee is responsible for the governance activities of the Consortium.

The duties of the Executive Committee include:

Providing communication links among members.
Consulting with members about varied interests relating to the activities of the Council.
Assisting in preparation of proposals to the Board. Projects, programs, and activities approved by the Board are carried out under the direction of the Executive Committee in accordance with the polices and instructions of the Board.

The Executive Committee prepares the annual budget for submission to the Board and is charged with responsibility for the expenditure of the Council’s funds in accordance with the determination of the Board. The Executive Committee discharges these responsibilities through appointed staff.