Mercy Health and Lorain County Community College (LCCC) are excited to announce an expanded partnership to eliminate financial obstacles for Mercy Health employees enrolled in health care pathways at LCCC through a prepaid tuition program, also known as deferred tuition. This initiative aims to enhance accessibility to higher education by ensuring Mercy Health employees have tuition benefit dollars in hand prior to LCCC’s tuition payment due dates. This will remove initial out-of-pocket costs previously paid by Mercy Health employees enrolled at LCCC.
“Mercy Health is committed to cultivating the next generation of health care professionals to ensure our Lorain County patients receive high-quality, compassionate health care for decades to come. That starts with ensuring our employees have the resources they need to be successful, while removing the barriers that may keep them from advancing their careers,” said John Luellen, MD, president, Mercy Health – Lorain and Youngstown. “We know finances are often a deciding factor when it comes to pursuing higher education. Through our expanded partnership with LCCC, our employees will no longer have to wait for reimbursement to have tuition dollars back in their pockets. It’s programs like these that will help encourage health care careers and fill the talent pipeline.”
This program is available to Mercy Health employees, whether full-time, part-time, or PRN (pro re nata), as part of the organization’s education benefits program – a benefit that can be accessed on the very first day of employment. The education benefits program focuses on supporting associates who wish to transition into a variety of clinical health care roles, regardless of their current position. The goal is to align educational benefits with an employee’s long-term career aspirations, fostering growth and development within the organization.
Prepaid tuition through the deferred tuition benefit eases the financial strain on students by offering a flexible payment option. Traditionally, students would pay tuition out-of-pocket according to the institution’s payment schedule and then submit for reimbursement. Now, employees will have employer funds up front to pay tuition before its due.
Lessening financial concerns empowers students to focus on their academics, fosters a more conducive learning environment, and encourages academic success. This program will also increase the number of trained health care workers in the community, while potentially growing enrollment and retention rates as students can pursue their studies without financial constraints hindering their progress.
“Lorain County Community College is proud to deepen our partnership with Mercy Health to address the critical need for skilled health care professionals in our community,” said LCCC President Marcia J. Ballinger, Ph.D. “This program reflects our shared vision of creating opportunities that reduce barriers and build educational pathways that work for both students and employers.”
Mercy Health and LCCC have long been valuable partners. Together, they’ve developed clinical opportunities for students in various health care programs, while also maintaining other education benefit programs. The partnership between Mercy Health and LCCC underscores both institutions’ commitment to empowering clinical students and fostering a flourishing academic community.