Photo provided Trina Kropka has been selected as director of the multipurpose facility to be dubbed “the Bridge” and on schedule for completion in August. The grant-funded 31,000 square foot health, education and community center will touch on every aspect of the district’s mission going forward, and the right leadership is crucial in making full use of the Bridge’s potential.

BRIDGEPORT — Bridgeport Exempted Village School District has named Trina Kropka as director of the district’s upcoming multipurpose facility known as “the Bridge,” a 31,000-square-foot health, education and community center nearing completion on the campus.

The board approved the hiring during its May 13 meeting and welcomed Kropka as the district received more than 40 resumes and letters of interest for the position.

The grant-funded facility is expected to serve students and the broader community, with district officials saying strong leadership will be key to maximizing its potential.

Kropka brings extensive experience in health care administration and medical education. She holds a master’s degree in health care administration and an MBA and spent 21 years at Ohio Valley Medical Center and East Ohio Regional Hospital, where she worked as a dietitian and administrative director of medical education overseeing residency programs. She later spent seven years at Trinity Health System managing medical education and physician residency programs.

“This position of director of the Bridge brings all of my skill sets together into one nice package,” Kropka said.

A longtime Bridgeport resident, Kropka has lived in the community for 27 years and is the parent of a district graduate. Her daughter, Campbell Kropka, graduated in 2024.

“I’m proud to be a part of this project. I’ve been hearing about this project since my daughter was in high school,” she said. “I’m a go-getter and we’re going to go get it done.”

She said she has already toured the facility, which is scheduled to open Aug. 13, and sees wide-ranging potential for its use.

“The building’s incredible. They did a great job getting the grant to get this beautiful building built. It’s unique to this area. It’s something we don’t have in Belmont County just yet. There’s so much potential,” Kropka said.

She said her background in health care and education will help shape programming focused on career exploration and student opportunity.

“With my healthcare background I instantly go to healthcare and hospitality. Those are the kind of things that are forefront in my mind. Entrepreneurship,” she said. “The kids in the Valley, they don’t know what they don’t know. They don’t know what kind of jobs are out there and they don’t know what kind of big future they could have.

“That’s my hope, that each kid who graduates from Bridgeport High School sees that there’s more out there than what they might originally know.”