Kent State University at East Liverpool is a cornerstone of downtown East Liverpool, overlooking the Ohio River in an area known as the tri-state region. Just minutes from West Virginia and Pennsylvania, the campus was established in 1965 and includes Purinton Hall, the Mary Patterson Building and the Locke House. Purinton Hall is the former East Liverpool High School and houses the academic learning commons, biology/anatomy lab, virtual reality lab, bookstore, administration offices and classrooms with technology to enhance learning on campus and online. The Enrollment Management and Student Services Department is in Purinton Hall, providing assistance with enrollment, advising, financial aid and other services. KSU East Liverpool also includes the Mary Patterson Building, a former women's residence that was purchased by the Friends of the East Liverpool Campus in 1993. The Mary Patterson Building now features nursing simulation labs, as well as classroom and learning spaces for the occupational therapy assistant and physical therapist assistant programs. The Locke House is an extension of the East Liverpool Campus and is used as a learning laboratory for students in the occupational therapy assistant program. The house was the former residence of the late James and Margaret Locke and was donated to the campus by the Locke's sons. There, OTA students learn to treat patients in a real, homelike setting, while a "hospital room" is designed to simulate a typical patient room in a clinical setting, complete with a hospital bed and medical equipment. Combined, the Kent State Salem and Kent State East Liverpool campuses make up Kent State University of Columbiana County. Together, the two campuses offer 28 degrees, 13 of which are bachelor's degrees. Between the two campuses, nearly 230 faculty members are employed, the majority of whom hold the highest degree in their fields. More than 50 percent of the full-time faculty members hold doctorate degrees. Numerous scholarship and financial aid opportunities exist for students of the Columbiana County campuses. The average financial aid package for a full-time undergraduate determined to have financial need was more than $7,200 at each Columbiana County campus (2020).
