By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Officials from both North Central Missouri College and Missouri Western State University see a new partnership program benefiting both campuses.
North Central President Lenny Klaver says the new dual admissions process, called the Pirates to Griffons pathway program, will be a great thing.
"It's going to be a lot more flexible for students to get into their higher education, to use the scholarship money that's available, and also to have a social life that's connected with a community college that you wouldn't have if you're outside the immediate region of Trenton," Klaver tells reporters.
The agreement signed last week will give North Central students the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of being a Missouri Western student part time, while earning an associate degree as a full time North Central student.
Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says this is another seamless pathway as she calls it, similar to the universities dual credit with high school students.
"We're providing opportunities for students to map out how efficiently, how quickly, they are able to work towards a degree," Kennedy says. "And I think the fact that we can do an associates' to a bachelors', perhaps to a masters', those kinds of opportunities when you lay them out for students it becomes a lot easier and more doable, and I think too the financial component will be especially beneficial."
Kennedy says the vision of President Lenny Klaver at North Central matched well with where she wanted Missouri Western to go, making the partnership between the two schools a no brainer.
The new Pirates2Griffons pathway program will provide new opportunities to North Central Missouri College and Missouri Western State University students.
Klaver says the largest potential growth for North Central College is in the western part of its service region.
"And that is St. Joseph primarily and Savannah so, it's going to be a situation where together with Missouri Western we want to welcome students, we want to make that transfer seamless," Klaver explains. "So, we're hopeful and you never know, I'd hate to predict the future, but I think there's great opportunity for growth over here."
Klaver says the project in Savannah is moving on schedule for the new building to be open in Fall 2023, with the existing building to be open this fall.