April 4, 2025 - Ashland University’s ACCESS program, which stands for the Ashland Center for English Studies, will no longer be offered following the end of the 2025 spring semester. The program has served thousands of students since 1974, offering an intensive English program to international professionals, undergraduate and graduate students. 

Due to a number of external factors, such as students learning English at a higher level in their home countries and student visa delays ever since the COVID pandemic, ACCESS services are no longer in high demand. 

Closing a program such as this is not unique to Ashland. “We are one of the last ESL programs at a small school left standing, so I’m proud of that,” noted Jennifer Wininger, director of International Student Services and ACCESS. 

Wininger, who will remain at AU as the head of International Student Services, developed many initiatives to preserve the ACCESS program, such as offering summer camps to children, symposiums focused on different international cultures for professional teachers to earn credits, an online program and more. 

Students who went through the ACCESS program began with varying levels of experience with the English language. After a year of classes, homework and cultural activities, they were prepared with the knowledge, skills and experiences to study at the university level. 

“We serve as mentors, helping people with homesickness, helping them to adjust, helping them to find friends in the community,” Wininger said. “I’ve really found it to be the most joyful place to teach of all the places I’ve taught … because the students are very grateful for what they receive and then they improve so quickly. They really are able to be successful, get their degrees and go on to pursue their dream jobs. I’m proud of what the ACCESS program has done over 51 years.” 

The longest running director of ACCESS was Mike Hupfer, who headed the program for nearly two full decades (1980-98) when it averaged 30-35 students per year. 

“We were one of the first in Ohio to set up an ESL (English as a Second Language) program and one of the first in Ohio to be recognized by national agencies,” recalled Hupfer. “There were lots of students who had good qualifications for academic study, but needed to improve their English, so we were saying ‘we’ll get you ready’ and ACCESS was very successful as a feeder program.” 

Hupfer, who is still in communication with many ACCESS alumni, thought the program was mutually beneficial. 

“We created the world in Ashland, giving (international) students the ability to interact with our student population, and likewise, Ashland students and the Ashland community got to know people from other parts of the world,” he said. 

While Hupfer is sad to see ACCESS close after all it accomplished, he understands the reasoning and complimented the university’s welcoming of international students moving forward. 

“I know Ashland remains committed to the recruitment of international students,” he stated. “I remain gratified that the university supports international students in both the undergraduate and graduate areas.”