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Students looking to stay local while they pursue higher education have a new online tool to help them find what they're looking for in a college or university.

A new iniative, called Educate the Tri-State, was unveiled Monday in Ashland by representatives of eight local institutions that will participate in the program.

"A rising tide clearly lifts all boats, and Educate the Tri-State is a rising tide that I believe will lift every institution that is involved to greater heights," said Ohio University President Roderick McDavis.

Joining OU in the project are Ashland Community College, Marshall University, Marshall Community and Technical College, Morehead State University, Ohio University Southern, Rio Grande Community College and Shawnee State University.

The initiative has manifested first in the form of a new Web site, www.educatethetristate.com.

The site currently provides links to the front pages of the schools, as well as contact information for each. But it will continue to grow over time, offering students the ability to search for their desired major or career path and see what opportunities exist for them at local schools.

As Shawnee State President Rita Rice Morris pointed out, the collaboration does not end online. The schools also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday that states that schools will continue to work to improve education in the area.

"This is a living document," Morris said. "We will continue to explore how we can continue to create new partnerships to promote higher education. By enhancing access, we will increase the number of students in our colleges."

Some collaborative programs are already in place between the schools. For example, ACTC and Marshall created new programs last month that allow students to complete an associate degree at ACTC, then transfer the courses into a complementary major at Marshall.