The Akron Advantage A unique combination of initiatives, traits, competencies and past successes at The University of Akron give our students a competitive edge after graduation. There are many components to this "Akron Advantage." The primary ones are listed below, with links to details:
Documented Excellence - There is more documented excellence at The University of Akron than at any other public university in northern Ohio. The University of Akron, northern Ohio's leading public university, is a world leader in creating new materials for the new economy; a national leader in the development, protection, management and commercialization of intellectual property; and a regional leader in information technology initiatives. Akron is the only university in Ohio to have a science and engineering program ranked in the top five nationally; its polymer science and engineering program, ranked second in the U.S., serves Ohio’s $22 billion polymer industry and includes a NASA-supported nanotechnology initiative. The University also has strong ties with business leaders, including information technology partnerships with IBM, Cisco Systems and Time Warner, among others. The University of Akron excels in many other areas as well. The scope of that quality and its effects are evident in four clusters of excellence: Discovery and Innovation, Cultural Enrichment, Community Well Being, and Economic Development.
Read about the University's National Rankings Student Success - We see the exceptional success of our students and graduates, their leadership positions, their love of the University and their continued engagement with us as a great advantage. They demonstrate that the University has a significant capacity to enable student success. We have an environment conducive to opportunity and one where students acquire the skills, knowledge and disposition with which they can capture and experience success.
Learn more about Student Success at The University of Akron. Breadth of Academic Offerings - With more than 350 undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and law degree programs, The University of Akron offers great academic choice and flexibility to any student. Through enhanced evening and weekend programs, on-site and distance learning classes at convenient locations throughout Summit and Medina counties, and its Wayne College branch campus in Orrville, The University of Akron gives students exceptional scheduling flexibility and convenience, in addition to a broad range of academic choices.
More about academic choices at The University of Akron Location - Our location in the center of the dynamic regional economy of Northeast Ohio is a significant competitive advantage for our students. Indeed, The University of Akron is in, of and for Akron. Community engagement and our long history of mutually beneficial involvement with area businesses are at the core of our portfolio of opportunities. Our location also places students in close proximity to a host of nationally known cultural, sports, and recreational venues and resources.
Find out more about the Akron Area Information Technology Leadership - We recognize that, in today’s knowledge economy, students must be technologically competent and that the University must employ only the best management information systems. Thus, as a point of comparative advantage, Akron has become a regional leader in information technology. The University has information technology partnerships with industry leaders, including IBM, PeopleSoft, Tivoli, 2Way Corporation, Cisco Systems and Time Warner, among others.
Read more: New Technology Key to UA's Academic Advantage Career Advantage Network - All qualified students at The University of Akron are guaranteed the opportunity to gain practical experience in their chosen professions before graduation through the Career Advantage Network. The new program, offered through the Center for Career Management, provides guaranteed major-related experiential learning opportunities for every student, regardless of academic major or degree level. Experiential learning may include cooperative education, practicum, internships, clinical/field-based experiences, student teaching, service learning, as well as other experiences that include clear, major-related goals and the means to evaluate performance.
Center for Career Management New Landscape for Learning - The University of Akron has invested $300 million to create a New Landscape for Learning. Construction of 6 new buildings, renovation of 14 other structures, the closing of two streets through campus and the addition of 30 acres of green space has transformed the physical appearance and usefulness of the University. Still, our New Landscape for Learning encompasses more than the enhancement of facilities. New degrees and certificates are offered in such areas as computer engineering, intellectual property law, e-commerce and international business. Research into biomaterials, nanotechnology and other emerging sciences offers hope for astounding medical and technological breakthroughs. And innovative activities in the arts and in community service continue to define and enhance the quality of life for those in the region and beyond. New Landscape for Living - The University of Akron is in, of, and for Akron. We continue to shape the greater Akron area - by providing exciting cultural opportunities and much-needed community services, by driving economic development, by educating thousands of people to become valued professionals and effective citizens . . . and by working with our neighbors to reshape our surrounding environment and create an extended opportunity for positive engagement with the communities beyond our campus. A $2.5 million grant from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is helping to launch a community development project to create a vibrant 40-block, mixed-use neighborhood surrounding The University of Akron.
Learn more about this exciting partnership: Knight Foundation Grant Provides 'Seed Money' For University-Area Renewal Project |
