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SOCHE recognizes the importance of acknowledging the outstanding faculty and staff at our member institutions. To that end, the consortium has sponsored an annual awards program to honor the incredible talent and dedication represented by personnel on member campuses across the state.
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SOCHE Announces 2026-27 Lunch & Learn Webinar Series
The Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) has announced that it will host aseries of nine virtual “lunch-and-learns” throughout the 2026-27 school year. Offered during the noon hour on weekdays via the SOCHE Zoom platform, these events are open to everyone interested in education-focused professional development.
Designed to showcase the institutional knowledge that is present across SOCHE’s 22 member campuses, this webinar series offers broad professional development opportunities for anyone involved in education. Topics covered include ways to increase student engagement; artificial intelligence (AI); effective communication; cultural competence and belonging; inclusive classrooms; providing career guidance to students, and more. This is the fifth consecutive year that SOCHE has hosted a series of virtual lunch-and-learns for its members.
Dr. Cassie Barlow, president of SOCHE, remarked, “The SOCHE lunch-and-learn series offers valuable training on pertinent and timely topics, all designed to enhance the expertise of our member faculty, staff, and administrators. We are delighted by the sustained interest in our program, both from presenters and attendees. This year, the number of presentation proposals submitted surpassed that of any previous year.”
Vets Moving Forward
Vets Moving Forward is an annual community event that brings together veterans, active-duty military members, and their families with employers, Veteran Service Organizations, and essential community resources. Attendees can explore job opportunities, connect with VA services, learn about benefits, and access valuable support designed to help them succeed in employment, education, and everyday life. As a proud partner and organizer, SOCHE helps bring this collaborative event to life by connecting veterans with education, employment, and community resources that support long-term success.
SOCHE Awarded CenterPoint Energy Foundation Energizing Veteran Resilience Grant!
SOCHE has been selected as a recipient of a CenterPoint Energy Foundation Energizing Veteran Resilience Grant, receiving $25,000 to support veterans and their families throughout the Miami Valley. The grant is part of a special initiative established in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary, supporting nonprofit organizations that strengthen veteran resilience through programs focused on housing stability, mental health, and everyday needs.
The funding will support SOCHE’s Vets Moving Forward: Reintegration Support and Basic Needs Initiative, expanding resources that help veterans successfully transition to civilian life, pursue education, and connect with employment opportunities.
Of the total award, a portion will fund grocery gift cards, which will be distributed through Veterans Service Commissions and university veteran centers in Montgomery, Greene, and Clark Counties. The funding will also support Vets Moving Forward programming in 2027, an event in its 10th year of helping veterans address barriers to employment, education, and long-term stability.
SOCHE Announced as WorkOhio's West Regional Hub
SOCHE has been named the West Regional Hub for WorkOhio, strengthening its role in connecting job seekers and employers across western Ohio. In this capacity, SOCHE provides personalized career support, workforce resources, and direct employer engagement to help individuals access meaningful career opportunities while supporting businesses in building strong, qualified teams. By aligning regional talent with in-demand industries, SOCHE and WorkOhio are advancing workforce development and driving economic growth throughout the region.
WorkOhio Job Connector Tour
WorkOhio’s growing impact in Western Ohio was highlighted in June 2026 when Ohio Lt. Governor Jim Tressel visited Quality Quartz Engineering (QQE) in Beavercreek as part of the WorkOhio Job Connector Tour. Hosted by SOCHE, the visit showcased how partnerships among employers, educational institutions, and workforce organizations are strengthening Ohio’s talent pipeline. During the tour, Lt. Governor Tressel met with company leaders to learn how WorkOhio and SOCHE, serving as the Western Ohio Regional Hub, are helping connect employers with qualified talent while aligning workforce development efforts with the evolving needs of industry.
SOCHE Announces 2025-2026 Excellence Awards Winners
Dayton, Ohio (June 4, 2026) — The Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) has announced 52 Excellence Awards recipients from across 21 member institutions for the 2025-2026 school year.
SOCHE Announces New Career Development Webinar Series
For the 2025-2026 school year, the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) will host a special Career Development Series of virtual presentations designed to support higher education personnel as they help develop the Workforce of Tomorrow.
The webinars, which begin in October and feature faculty and staff from across the SOCHE membership, cover a variety of topics including: how to support career development for rural Appalachian students; empowering faculty to incorporate career readiness into their curricula; helping academically underperforming students succeed in the job market; fostering professionalism without perfectionism; and achieving student success through career connectedness.
Welcome GC3!
Welcome GC3!
We are excited to share the great news of the merger between Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education and Greater Cincinnati Collegiate Connection as of July 1, 2025.
This strategic initiative will expand our capabilities and unlock new opportunities for Ohio’s growth and innovation in higher education and in our workforce. This merger will make a combined consortium of 38 colleges and universities! Our partnership will work together to innovate in higher education and in the workforce for the betterment of our students, faculty, staff, and employers, and to develop the best faculty and staff in the nation and the strongest work-based learning initiatives in the Midwest.
52 Complete SOCHE Leadership Program Aimed at Developing Higher Ed Leaders
A cohort of 52 higher education faculty, staff, and administrators from 15 different institutions has completed the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) 2024-2025 Leadership Development Program.
Partnering for the first time with Miami Valley Nonprofit Collaborative (MVNC), SOCHE hosted this program specifically designed to develop leadership skills in new or experienced front-line higher education personnel. Participants received tools, resources, and templates that they could readily apply to their existing roles, and at the end of the program, they left with a full leadership development improvement plan in hand. The program encompassed more than 25 hours of active learning time over the course of seven months.
SOCHE Visits Wright Patterson Air Force Base
On Thursday morning, SOCHE employees and interns took a field trip to Wright Patterson Air Force Base. We were able to tour a C-17 airplane and watch another take off for a mission. Then, we witnessed first hand how difficult pilot training can be as we got to watch a pilot train in a centrifuge. The tour ended with a meet and greet with Commander Richards. Additionally, SOCHE interns were provided with resources to find job opportunities at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) enhances the research capabilities and professional relationships of the Air Force Research Laboratory technical directorates with researchers in related technical areas using high school and college students. SOCHE connects students, educators, government, businesses, employers, and other organizations to share information, access professional development opportunities, and close workforce gaps through increasing internships and research projects.
SOCHE PARTNERS WITH MIAMI VALLEY NONPROFIT COLLABORATIVE FOR NEW LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
This special 8-session hybrid, interactive program is designed to develop the leadership skills in new or experienced front-line higher education personnel who supervise other staff members. Individual contributors seeking advancement into management roles will find this program helpful in developing the skills required for effective leadership within their organizations.
SOCHE Healthcare Industry Sector Partnership
Our Collaborative Partnership!
SOCHE and the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association (GDAHA) have partnered to build and maintain the Southwest Ohio Healthcare Industry Sector Partnership.
Past news
what we do
Educate
Grow educational and leadership opportunities for faculty, staff, and students.
Employ
Build the Ohio workforce by enhancing employment prospects for students and graduates.
Excel
Model collaboration excellence to find innovative solutions to advance higher education.
Endure
Establish SOCHE as the backbone organization of distinction in higher education.