Kaskaskia College will be part of a new program that aims to make it easier for community college students to earn a four year degree.
The effort is a partnership between Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and the Illinois Community College Board, letting students graduating with an Associate’s Degree automatically jump into one of six online Bachelor’s Programs at SIU.
Board Executive Director Brian Durham says this will be a big help to students who can’t go away to school, as well as ensure all credits are transferred.
“It also makes it more affordable because community college students would do their first two years at the community college and then they would go to SIU without even leaving their home, but they would have access to a $4000 scholarship for SIU.”
Colleges will have to sign up for the “Saluki Step Ahead” Program.
Kaskaskia College President George Evans said after Monday night’s board meeting Kaskaskia College is already on board.
“Instead of viewing each other as competitors its more like us working together to recruit those students knowing they are going to be that much more successful coming from a community college. I give credit to Carbondale for really pushing this universal agreement to put in their toolbox and us in ours. The affordability side of it is a huge asset for them. Because they recognize they were using students to out of state institutions because of the affordability aspect and this should help keep students in the state.”
Degrees offered include Accounting, Business Administration, Psychology and Health Care Management. Durham says the community colleges would entertain similar programs from other four year institutions in the state.
