The partnership will bring Bio-Med Science Academy STEM School’s Shalersville Campus and Ravenna Campus students into one consolidated location on Kent State University’s campus at the Michael Schwartz Center.
Kent State University has formed a partnership with Bio-Med Science Academy STEM School that will bring K-6 students from two of the STEM School’s campuses to learn together at the university’s Michael Schwartz Center, a building the university considers to be underutilized. Kent State University’s Board of Trustees has recently approved the partnership, which will be mutually beneficial. Bio-Med Science Academy STEM School will begin operating out of the Michael Schwartz Center beginning in the Fall of 2027.
According to an article on Kent State University’s website, Stephanie Lammlein, who serves as the chief administrative officer of Bio-Med Science Academy, was quoted as saying of the partnership, “This partnership represents an extraordinary opportunity for Bio-Med Science Academy. The Schwartz Center provides us with a modern, well-equipped facility that will allow us to consolidate our K-6 operations and better serve our students and families. We’re grateful for Kent State’s collaboration and look forward to becoming part of the campus community while our secondary campus remains at our Rootstown location.”
Once the school relocates to the Michael Schwartz Center in 2027, it will serve approximately 600 students and have about 50 staff members. The students will be coming from the Bio-Med Science Academy STEM School’s Shalersville Campus and Ravenna Campus, which serve students in grades K-4 and 5-6, respectively. Bio-Med Science Academy is a public and independent STEM school, one of only seven in the state of Ohio. Admission into the free school is done via lottery drawing. The school notes that 89% of its graduates go on to higher education and 72% of those students pursue STEM careers.
As for the mutual benefit of the partnership, Kent State University will save on building operation costs and the potential for demolition costs. The Bio-Med Science Academy STEM School will be able to operate within a fully equipped building and save on potential construction costs. The Michael Schwartz Center, which opened in 1956 as the Kent State University School, a laboratory school, and operated as such until the 1980s, will once again return to that purpose. Currently, the building houses various student services like the Admissions Office, Bursar’s Office, Parking Services, and Office of the University Registrar. These offices will relocate to other locations around campus.
Melody Tankersley, who is the executive vice president and provost at Kent State University, said, “This is truly a win-win partnership that strengthens our relationship with the community while solving a critical facility challenge. The Schwartz Center was facing significant infrastructure costs, and rather than shutter or demolish the building, we envisioned an opportunity to repurpose it in a way that benefits our community and supports an educational institution that aligns with our university’s values and mission.”
Todd Diacon, the university’s president, noted, “Our need to identify new uses for underutilized buildings allowed us to think creatively about repurposing the Schwartz Center. This partnership demonstrates how universities can work collaboratively with community organizations to address infrastructure challenges while strengthening ties to the region we serve.”
The university’s ROTC program is also housed within the Michael Schwartz Center and will maintain its space there, with separate and secure entrances from the Bio-Med Science Academy STEM School, which will begin operating within the building in the Fall of 2027.
For more information about Kent State University, visit the school’s website.