LIBERTY, S.C. — To help area residents and students widen their educational opportunities, a regional community colleges organization has signed a transfer agreement with a major online university.
According to a news release, the agreement between Community Colleges of Appalachia and Western Governors University will create opportunities for residents of Appalachia to further their education through WGU’s accredited online degree and certificate programs while remaining in their home communities.
CCA is a voluntary association of public community colleges serving the common interests of member colleges and their communities. It includes 85 member institutions from Mississippi to New York, including several in North Alabama.
“This partnership is especially meaningful for our small and rural colleges, where access to affordable, flexible bachelor’s degree programs is often out of reach,” said Dr. Kevin Boys, executive director of CCA. “WGU’s model helps eliminate those barriers and opens doors for both students and employees to continue their education without leaving their communities.
“We’re proud to partner with organizations that share our commitment to expanding opportunity across our 85 member institutions.”
CCA members in Alabama are:
- Calhoun Community College
- Bevill State Community College
- Gadsden State Community College
- Ingram State Technical College
- J. F. Drake State Community & Technical College
- Jefferson State Community College
- Northeast Alabama Community College
- Shelton State Community College
- Wallace State Community College
According to the Appalachian Regional Commission, the region is growing in population but at 4.3% lower than the national average. The region also faces several challenges related to education and income:
- 27.3% of Appalachians have a bachelor’s degree or higher, behind the national average of 35%.
- Median household income in the region is around $14,000 below the U.S average: $64,588 vs. $78,539.
The common goal of the agreement is to provide CCA member-institution graduates and employees with flexible, personalized learning pathways to higher education and professional development through WGU’s competency-based online programs, the news release said.
The agreement will also formalize the transfer of applicable credits between CCA members and WGU, so graduates of member schools will likely not need to repeat coursework as they pursue bachelor’s degrees through WGU.
Graduates, staff and faculty of CCA member schools will also be able to apply for specially designated Learn Where You Live Scholarships valued up to $3,000 each. Tuition is around $4,000 per six-month term for most WGU bachelor’s degree programs, and students can take as many classes as they wish within a term with the consent of their assigned program mentor.
WGU is an accredited, nonprofit online university offering more than 80 bachelor’s and master’s degrees and certificate programs in business, technology, health care and K-12 education. WGU’s asynchronous competency-based programs are designed to fit into work and home schedules and create pathways to opportunity.
“According to the Community College Research Center, about 80% of entering students indicate they wish to obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher, but only 15% of cohorts starting in 2016 actually earned a bachelor’s within six years,” said Dr. Courtney Hills McBeth, WGU’s chief academic officer and provost. “They face many barriers such as cost, transfer of college credits, and family and work obligations.
“This agreement will provide a real option for many community college graduates in Appalachia who wish to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree while remaining in the region.”
To learn more about CCA, visit www.ccofapp.org. For more information about WGU, visit www.wgu.edu.
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