The Columbus campus moved locations from 1900 East Dublin Granville Rd to 8050 North High Street, Suite 190 in Columbus.

The reason for the move was due to the lease ending on the building that the Columbus campus had previously occupied. When it was announced that the lease was ending, there was discussion of whether or not the current building fit the needs of the Columbus Center students.

The search for a new location that suited the academic and learning needs of the students began last fall.

The Columbus Center targets working with educators and students going into education to grow and strengthen their teaching abilities.

Dr. James Powell, executive director of Professional Learning, stated, “Our goal is really to have an impact on the educators, so it then has an impact on the educational environments that our youth experience out in the schools across Ohio.”

Shawn Orr, the Dean of eAshland, which covers non-traditional learning for Ashland University, compared the center to academic offices where some courses are held with the degrees being offered out of the Ashland University main campus.

According to Courtney Kessler, the director of Professional Development at the Columbus Center, the center is in “full operation.”

“Everyone was in the new office [on] August 1. Everything was moved over and the only thing that still needs to be moved over is the internet capabilities,” Kessler said. “The office is currently using portable wifi hotspot routers and internet connections are in progress to be created.”

The new Columbus Center has a variety of new benefits. The location of the new center is easier for students who are flying in to get to from the airport and makes it easier to work with Columbus Public Schools, which works in tandem with the Columbus Center.

The Columbus Center is now located in the same place as the Department of Ohio Education. The space has several offices and a few classrooms with a plan to create more. There is also a small lounge area that includes a kitchenette and fridge.

There are a few renovations that still need to be completed in the new building, mainly because of the increased need for the Columbus Center.