MCC, WKU Sign Joint Admissions Agreement

MADISONVILLE, Ky. Madisonville Community College and Western Kentucky University have signed a joint admissions agreement that will offer students a seamless path to a four-year degree.

The Joint Admissions/Joint Enrollment Initiative allows students to be admitted to both institutions at the same time, giving them access to more resources, including advising, libraries, labs and student services.

The intent of the program is to provide the best of both institutions to the students while allowing them to complete their associate s degree, then continue their education at WKU, Dean Kahler, WKU s Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs/Enrollment Management, said. We hope that the transition from MCC to WKU will be less daunting since they will already have established a relationship with WKU.

WKU President Gary Ransdell said the agreement is a major step forward as we in higher education seek to make transferring from two-year programs to four-year programs more seamless. Removing barriers from transfer is critical to growing the number of bachelor degree holders in the Commonwealth, and we are very pleased to have this partnership with MCC.

MCC President Dr. Judith L. Rhoads echoed the importance of transfer.

As part of our college mission, I believe facilitating transfer is an essential for transforming the lives of our students and the state s economy, said Dr. Rhoads. Working with Western on behalf of students getting four-year degrees is a win-win for the students and our communities.

WKU Provost Barbara Burch said the program increases the comfort level for students to know that they are exactly on track to achieving their career goals from start to finish.

Students completing an associate s degree through MCC can continue working toward a bachelor s degree at WKU s Owensboro campus.

This partnership truly brings a four-year public education option to students in the Madisonville area, Dr. Gene Tice, Director of WKU s Owensboro campus, said. We now offer 20 bachelor degree programs at WKU-O and students from the Madisonville area do not have far to go to continue their education.

Dr. Kahler added that another benefit will be a collaborative marketing effort to prospective students that will make higher education more attractive to more students.

For more information about the Joint Admissions/Joint Enrollment Program between MCC and WKU, contact: Sherry Hewell, MCC Transfer Advisor, at (270) 824-8666.