Whether they are a traditional or nontraditional student, those contemplating the delicate balance of work and college courses might want to consider Ohio State as an employer. Full-time OSU employees have the advantage of getting help as nontraditional students in the form of tuition assistance or through the Bridge Program.

Chad Danley, benefits-enrollment coordinator, confirmed the Human Resources office have received a lot of positive feedback on this program.

“Eligible employees must be working full-time and working in an eligible position, but most full time employees already work in an eligible position,” Danley said.

It is not even necessary to fill out an application: A staff or faculty member fitting the requirements will automatically receive a credit on their fee statement when they sign up for classes. Student employees do have to be admitted to the university through the Admissions Office or the Office of Continuing Education.

There are certain expectations for this benefit. Approved employees must take credited courses only and must receive a passing grade. The benefit only provides payment for up to 10 credit hours, and the maximum amount of reimbursement is $5,000 per quarter for undergraduate degrees, and $7,500 for graduate level courses.

Carla Wilks, coordinator of the Community Extension Center, a branch of the Department of African and African American Studies, has taken advantage of this employee benefit and has graduated with a double major in English and African American studies. She said finding out about the program was easy.

“I believe it was part of my new staff orientation in the literature they pass out as one of their benefits. I just kind of knew about it since other people were doing it,” Wilks said.

Wilks also credits another OSU employee program, the Bridge Program, with helping her prepare to go back to school for her degree. The Bridge Program is a learning opportunity for non-traditional students trying to prime themselves for the switch from work to college life by easing their fears about their return to college and scheduling classes at convenient times. The classes can be taken at no cost to eligible OSU employees. Wilks doubts she would have made it through her courses without the Bridge Program.

“You have to get readjusted to the culture of a classroom … that’s something different from the home or office,” Wilks said.

Michael Hoza, program coordinator of the Bridge Program, said instructors for Bridge Program courses are selected based on their ability to work with adults. The class times are tailored to the students’ needs, such as classes starting at 5:30 p.m., when Bridge students’ workdays end.

The Bridge Program has what Hoza calls “core classes” that anyone can sign up for, but OSU employees get the first spots available. An example of a core class is EDU PAES 270B01 Self-Career Development, offered spring quarter 2006. The other courses Bridge Program offers are “reserve courses” for Bridge Program participants only, because there are only five spaces available.

Mary Lamarr, continuing education department assistant, is currently taking classes through the Bridge Program and plans to get a bachelor’s degree in social work.

“They’ve helped me because I’m not the only adult in the class with all these students. I can obtain everything that’s being said, graph what the curriculum is, and the instructors take the time to work with you and explain everything if you’re not understanding,” Lamarr said.

For more information on tuition assistance, log on to hr.osu.edu/benefits/educationtuition.htm. For more information on the Bridge Program, log on to www.continuinged.ohio-state.edu/bridge.html.