Sally Heckman holds a vivid memory. Two flags graced the roof of the Martha Grace Reese Amphitheatre, named after her great-grandmother. She sat in the crowd with family as the facility was dedicated, celebrating yet another monument to the Newark campus’s collaborative spirit. A symphony played. Fireworks sprayed the September night sky.

“It was a physical representation of the cost-shared partnership,” Heckman said. “This huge group of community supporters showed so much pride in both institutions at the same time.”

Through her work on COTC’s board of trustees, Heckman helps fortify that pride. She and her husband Lee, who sits on Ohio State Newark’s board and serves as secretary for the Newark Campus Development Fund (NCDF), are the newest philanthropic figures representing the Reese family. Their contributions help keep those flags flying high.

“Since the beginning, there has been strong leadership and great support for this community,” Lee elaborated. “We feel a responsibility to maintain that tradition and keep the momentum going.”

For more than 90 years, their family has innovated and invested in the Licking County community. The Reeses helped establish the Newark campus and have advocated for its cost-shared structure. They helped found NCDF, which raises money for shared campus infrastructure and student scholarships. They were the original sponsors of the annual Independence Day Concert and Fireworks celebration. They have fully funded immersive education abroad programs. They have worked with the Thomas J. Evans Foundation — of which Sally is a trustee — to donate lab equipment and secure a new facility for COTC’s police academy.

The cost-shared model they instilled also saves the campus $2 million annually. Sally works to keep it that way, promoting the campus’s financial stability as a member of COTC’s finance and audit committee. But it’s clear the collaboration is more than a sheer cost-saving measure. COTC offers more than 50 degree and certificate programs and combines with Ohio State Newark to open hundreds of academic pathways. It connects with NCDF to execute important projects like the Licking County Promise program.

This partnership raises more than just funds and support for the campus. It also raises the standard of this area’s workforce. COTC’s hands-on preparation, facilitated within first-class facilities, trains students for the careers shaping this community. “We all benefit from keeping them here,” Sally said.

There’s an amazing pipeline of graduates, and employers trust their education. This campus is such an asset for our community.

That feeling dates back to that dedication ceremony, when Sally first saw the campus’s cooperative energy up close. It’s not always celebrated with the flair of fireworks and a symphony, but the show goes on.

“The future of the partnership is bright,” Lee said. “We have enough people in the right positions who advocate for it. With such a long track record, we believe very strongly these institutions are going to continue to succeed.”