April 6, 2011
For Immediate Release
 |
| Dr. Michael McCall, center, president of KCTCS, and Dr. Michael V. Carter, right, president of Campbellsville University, sign a multi-program agreement between the two institutions. Dr. Robert King, president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, left, was also present for the signing. (Campbellsville University Photo by Katie Johnson) |
By Christina Miller, office assistant
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Campbellsville University and Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) signed a transfer agreement April 5 allowing students from KCTCS to almost “seamlessly” transfer to CU.
The multi-program transfer agreement, the first of its type to be signed, is a collaboration between the two institutions for students who have completed their associate’s degree to continue their education at Campbellsville University in the bachelor degree program.
The programs that were signed in this agreement are: criminal justice, business administration, business management and early childhood education and interdisciplinary early childhood education.
Since 2005, 433 students from KCTCS have transferred to Campbellsville University; and the rate of graduation is 70 percent.
Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville University, said, “Seventy percent is a fantastic rate. This means we know KCTCS students are focused, they know their goals and they are pursuing those goals.”
Dr. Michael McCall, president of KCTCS, said, “This is a tremendous celebration. We have people here from Washington, the state level and the local community. This shows we’re about a partnership for the betterment of Kentucky… it is important we see this cooperation reach into the future.
“It is important we reach out to see the value students need to transfer and become a better person for the development of our state.”
McCall said the transfer agreement is a way of “providing a point of access to higher education that other institutions can’t do.”
Dr. Robert King, president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, said in every visit he has with legislators they said “you have to deal with this transfer stuff.”
King said, “This transfer agreement has created the missing alignment between technical colleges, a bachelor’s degree and starting a career.”
King also said the effort recognizes what we will “no longer leave to serendipity;” that the student will figure it out on their own if they want to transfer.
Dr. Frank Cheatham, vice president for academic affairs at CU, said, “Our goal is for students to come to Campbellsville, get a quality education, graduate and become a servant leader.”
Cindy Dishman, a social work student at CU who was a graduate of Somerset Community College, said, “It was 333 days ago I graduated from Somerset Community College. In another 256 days I will reach another milestone… graduating from Campbellsville University with a bachelor’s in social work.”
Dishman will be the first college graduate in her family. “The transfer allowed me to achieve more in my life than I ever felt possible. It allowed me to have roots and also to have wings.”
John Chowning, vice president for church and external relations and executive assistant to the president, said the agreement is a way of “providing students like Cindy with the opportunity to meet needs so others like her can continue to expand their education… this provides the opportunity to students all across the Commonwealth to transfer without worrying about whether or not their credits will transfer.”
Dr. Brenda Priddy, dean of the School of Education, said, the two institutions have “worked together to find common ground in their missions.” She also said it is the “commitment to higher education pathways for students who otherwise may not think they have a way to earn a bachelor’s degree. We are serving the students of today and tomorrow.”
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with over 3,000 students offering 63 undergraduate programs, 17 master’s degrees and five postgraduate areas. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.