The Levin College of Public Affairs and Education is advancing a suite of initiatives, from a major expansion of its mentoring program to outreach through publications like the “Levin Leads” magazine, while developing a college-wide strategic plan.

The Cleveland Stater recently sat down with Levin's Dean Jill Gordon, Ph.D., to hear from her what the initiatives are and what they mean for Cleveland State University.

An Ohio native, Dr. Gordon began her role as dean in January 2024. She came to CSU from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she was a professor and assistant vice provost for faculty affairs.

Dr. Gordon began by highlighting the recent expansion of Levin’s mentoring program, which was recently identified by a national accrediting body as a model for public service careers. 

“When I learned about it, I thought, this is great, and why can’t we do this across the college?” Gordon said. 

Previously limited to the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs, the program was opened this academic year to students across all schools within the college. Participation has nearly doubled, growing from about 20 to nearly 50 students.

“We got a good response from across the college in our first try of expansion, so that’s a good thing,” Gordon said.

The program, led by Rob Ziol, Director of the Center for Public and Nonprofit Management, pairs students with professionals based on their career goals and provides cohort-based professional development. Gordon shared an example of the program identifying a public defender to mentor a student interested in criminal justice.

The mentoring expansion is a part of a larger effort to unify the college, created from an amalgamation of the former Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, the College of Education, School of Communication, and Department of Criminology and Sociology, which CSU initiated under the leadership of Gordon's predecessor, Dr. Roland Anglin.

Gordon emphasized that the college is still in its early stages of building a cohesive identity starting with its key project to define the college’s future is its first strategic plan, which is being developed to align with the university's Cleveland State United initiative.

“Figuring out how we work well together… for the betterment of our students and our community at a higher level,” Gordon said. “Strategic plans help drive priorities and the future so we’re getting to that place and I'm grateful for that.”

A draft was presented for community feedback, with the final version expected to launch in Spring 2026.

Other new efforts include the “Student Communique,” a bi-weekly email digest to reduce inbox clutter, and plans for student “social media takeovers” to showcase a day in the life of a Levin student.

The college also launched in 2024  “Levin Leads,” a multimedia publication that is designed to highlight stories from the college’s students, faculty, and alumni that intersect with the Cleveland diverse communities. The publication recently eleased its second fall edition, highlighting the 20-year impact of PolicyBridge, student-led projects with the City of Cleveland, faculty research and alumni who make a difference in education and public services in Ohio.
 

Image

The title and two main sections “Levininspiration” and “Levinsights” were named by a faculty member, a staff member, and a student, each of whom took part in a college-wide naming contest.

“By chance alone, in perpetuity, we will have faculty, staff and student voices in how the multi-media publication is coming together and represented," Dr. Gordon said. 

Looking toward the future, Gordon revealed early plans for a new university-wide undergraduate program called TOPS (Thriving on Public Service), developed in partnership with the Beth E. Mooney Center and the deans of the College of Health and Honors College.

The cohort-based model would see students apply in their sophomore year, engage in mentorship opportunities as juniors, and complete a funded internship or co-op as seniors.

“I’m in the process of getting what I’m calling premiere sponsor internships, Levinterns,” Gordon said, noting she has already received a verbal commitment from one agency. “I think this is just another opportunity to open doors for students.”

The application process and full details for the TOPS leadership program are expected to be announced in the coming months.