Choose Ohio First lists website-contest criteria

Staff report

Columbus

The University System of Ohio is hosting a website- building contest for the url: www.ChooseOhioFirst.org.

Registration begins Monday and ends Feb. 5.

Contestants are asked to design and build a website that will recruit talented Ohio students into Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine fields. The website should encourage students to pursue a degree as part of the Choose Ohio First scholarship program.

Choose Ohio First Scholarships are awarded to students who are studying in STEMM fields. Choose Ohio First scholarships have been awarded to more than 4,000 students in 28 programs involving 41 Ohio public and private institutions during the past four years.

Scholarship awards range from $1,500 to $4,700 per student, per academic year.

The team or individual who submits the winning entry will be recognized on the ChooseOhioFirst.org site as long as the design is used. They will receive a letter of recognition from the chancellor of the Board of Regents for creating the Choose Ohio First website and will be recognized on the University System of Ohio website, ohiohighered.org as well as in any media releases about the contest.

The winning website must:

Encourage middle and high school students to enroll in a STEMM program at one of the 41 Ohio colleges and universities participating in Choose Ohio First.

Incorporate the Choose Ohio First branding and color scheme.

Highlight Ohio’s innovative Choose Ohio First programs and participating institutions.

Be easy to navigate.

Be compatible with all browsers.

Include scholarship amounts.

Bonus points will be awarded if your website is interactive, fun and engaging.

Each individual or team must go to www.Choose-OhioFirst.com and complete a registration form that includes the name, address, telephone number and email address of the team captain and information on any additional team members.

Judging begins April 3. Links to the top websites will be provided on www.facebook.com/OhioHigherEd. The public will be able to vote for the best website from April 16 through April 29 at ChooseOhioFirst.com. The votes made by the public will count towards 25 percent of the total vote.

A winner will be announced May 7.

The University System of Ohio is the state agency that coordinates higher education in Ohio. The agency is directed by its chancellor, who is a member of the governor’s Cabinet. The chancellor, with the advice of the nine-member board of regents, provides policy guidance to the governor and the Ohio General Assembly, advocates for the University System of Ohio and carries out state higher education policy.