December 12, 2023
Sheena Shifko, the Radiologic Technology Program Director at Shawnee State University, was recently named the Coordinator of the Choose Ohio First (COF) program on campus, a program impacting STEM students at SSU through scholarships and representation.
“I want to make students feel like they are a part of this community,” she said. “I want them to feel prepared in their future careers while we provide the tools and resources here at SSU to give them confidence as they enter the job market.”
Shifko obtained a degree from SSU’s Radiologic Technology Program in 2008, later graduating with her bachelor’s degree in 2009, also from SSU. She returned to the university to teach shortly after graduation and has been with SSU for 10 years; working as the Radiologic Technology Program Director for 8 years. She is also the current Assessment Fellow for the College of Professional Studies at the university.
“Through my experiences, I have a background with trying new and innovative approaches to keep students engaged in their programs,” she said. “My passion for assessment and retention led to the idea that I would be a good fit for the Coordinator of the Choose Ohio First program.”
COF is a scholarship program designed by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. It provides funding to participating Ohio universities to support students in innovative academic programs. Participating universities award scholarships to students desiring a certificate, associate degree, baccalaureate degree, or graduate degree in the STEM community. The program was designed to give Ohio a competitive advantage in the STEM disciplines and to close the gap on demand in the field. Shifko has a bright vision for COF by putting emphasis on supporting students as they navigate their future career path.
“My future plan emphasizes that students will have all of the resources they need to stay within their STEM majors by providing more work-based learning experiences,” she said.
At SSU, over 80 students have been impacted by this scholarship program. Shifko is eager to grow this program at SSU, providing more students with the essential tools needed to enter the STEM job market with confidence through guidance from the resources at SSU.
This fall, the university announced it was awarded an additional $849,909.90 in COF funding to provide additional scholarships to incoming students and new majors within the designated STEM programs.
To learn more about the Choose Ohio First program at Shawnee State University, contact Sheena Shifko at sshifko@shawnee.edu or visit shawnee.edu/choose-ohio-first-scholarships.