Ratcliffe Foundation grant boosts applied learning at Baldwin Wallace

The funding will support students as they complete faculty-mentored consulting projects for area businesses through four specialized BW centers.

Baldwin Wallace University has earned new support for four professionally led, student-driven consulting centers that will come together as the Ratcliffe Innovation Consultants (RIC) program, named to honor BW alumna Carole Ratcliffe '68.

A three-year, $675,000 grant from the Philip E. & Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation will support students as they learn by doing through meaningful projects for local businesses, nonprofits and government agencies that lead to regional economic growth.

The RIC umbrella will foster collaboration and synergies among BW's Ratcliffe Growth Practice, Digital Marketing Center (DMC), Hive Design Group and Community Research Institute (CRI) while allowing each consultancy to retain distinctive identities and specialized services.

Benefiting students and community

The real-world, resume-building RIC program experiences bolster classroom learning and better prepare students for their future careers. The program is designed to help students develop across eight career readiness competencies as defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, including communication, critical thinking, career and self-development, technology, professionalism, equity and inclusion, teamwork and leadership.

The work is also an investment in the growth and vitality of the Northeast Ohio economy. Clients regularly report that the work students deliver compares very favorably with the quality expected from a top-tier consulting firm.

"RIC program participants help their clients to be successful, which in turn furthers the positive economic development of the region," says Lacey Kogelnik, executive director for BW Corporate & Organizational Engagement, which oversees the RIC program. "Our goal is to prepare the next generation of innovators through high-quality, community-focused projects that result in long-term sustainable economic growth."

Campus-based internship advantage

All four RIC programs offer on-campus, paid internship experiences for a diverse set of students, especially those facing financial barriers. "These students often struggle to gain meaningful professional experience due to limitations such as transportation challenges," Kogelnik explains.

"In addition, many students from low-income backgrounds must prioritize immediate income over gaining valuable experience due to their financial need," she continues. "Allowing these students to engage in meaningful work with off-campus partners while remaining on campus directly addresses these barriers."

The RIC program goal is to engage 50-55 students each academic year in meaningful consulting projects led by BW faculty and staff professionals. It is open to all majors, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in students regardless of their field of study.

In addition to paying for student wages, the grant will fund a BW RIC program manager to coordinate client relationships and projects, facilitate training and professional development, and offer feedback and evaluation.

Enduring legacy

The RIC grant is just the latest gift from the Ratcliffe Foundation, which has donated more than $1.5 million to the Ratcliffe Growth Practice for more than a decade.

The late Carole Ratcliffe '68 was a successful entrepreneur, philanthropist and proud BW alumna. A member of the BW Athletics Hall of Fame, Ratcliffe was a competitive intramural student-athlete in the pre-Title IX era, an Alpha Phi and vice president of her Senior Class.

Described by friends as a "born leader," Ratcliffe succeeded in starting her own sailboat business and emerged as a generous and humble philanthropist focused on investing in generations of BW students who came after her.

"One of Carole's superpowers was her commitment to setting others up for success," observed Carlene Cassidy, CEO of the Ratcliffe Foundation. "Her aim was to encourage students to set high standards for themselves and to give them the tools, training and defining experiences they need to achieve their dreams and goals."

"We approached the RIC proposal motivated by a commitment to honor Carole's legacy and to provide transformational experiences for our deserving students," Kogelnik adds.

With the Ratcliffe Foundation's goal to support "academic institutions and other non-profit organizations who are working to prepare the next generation of workers and entrepreneurs," BW's new RIC program is rising to the task of adding to Carole Ratcliffe's substantial and enduring legacy.