Newman University has a long history of being a transfer-friendly university and recently won an award from Phi Theta Kappa for their efforts. This is in large part due to articulation agreements with various community colleges in the area, which are only continuing to expand.
Cowley College’s President Dennis C. Rittle, Ph.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs Michelle Schoon, Ph.D., and Executive Director of Enrollment Management Kristi Shaw visited campus in late April to sign an articulation agreement with Newman University that will provide a smoother transition for students transferring from Cowley to Newman.
The ultimate goal of the agreement is for students to be able to save time and money by graduating college in a total of four years.
Newman’s Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Rosemary Niedens said, “The real benefit for students is that they can target their education while they’re still in the community college to ensure the smoothest transition. They have the most potential to not lose any time that they’ve earned and can move right into their program of study for a four-year degree.”
Articulation agreements provide an easier transfer from community college to university in a variety of ways.
Provost Kim Long said, “The most unique aspect of this agreement is that we can provide the dual-advising track.”
With dual-advising, students receive both a Newman University advisor and an advisor at their current college. Both advisors ensure that the courses taken throughout the student’s first two years will transfer seamlessly to their chosen degree program at Newman.
Newman has designated an advisor in each department to dual-advise these particular students.
The agreement includes a ‘timely graduation guarantee’ as part of the dual-advising track. The guarantee relies on the student developing an appropriate plan of study with both advisors and successfully completing that plan of study. This ensures that the student will graduate from Newman in two years after completing coursework at Cowley.
Though students aren’t required to use dual-advising when deciding to transfer, it is highly suggested for better results.
“For every major, we viewed what classes they can take that’ll plug right in to their major here. And so that tells them exactly what they need to take while they’re at Cowley,” said Niedens.
Students interested in nearly all majors at Newman will be able to take advantage of the agreement.
Rittle said, “In a time and age where students are looking for pathways with a clear understanding of how to get from point A to point B, which reduces cost and reduces time, these types of partnerships allow those students the most efficient way forward so that they can reduce their overall cost and get out in the workforce as quickly as possible. We appreciate the partnership between Cowley College and Newman University for making that possible so students can be successful.”
Newman University offers multiple scholarships for transfer students as well.
Students interested in using the articulation agreement are encouraged to talk with their advisor from the beginning of their college career in order to ensure their course schedule is most efficient.
