Bellarmine University announced a new partnership with Jefferson Community and Technical College last month to create an easier path for JCTC students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Bellarmine.
The Jefferson 2 Bellarmine Collaboration is a college transfer option that allows JCTC students to more easily transfer their credits to Bellarmine with no application fee, according to a news release from Bellarmine. To apply, students must have 24 credit hours and at least a 2.0 grade point average from JCTC.
The partnership is a result of the university’s strategic plan, following the arrival of university President Dr. Susan M. Donovan in 2017. Expansion and diversity of enrollment; commitment to equity and inclusion; and expansion of access and affordability were among the major strategic priorities announced in the plan, which was introduced in 2019.
“The new strategic plan is focused on access, student success and we felt like this initiative is consistent with that,” said Dr. Mark Marshall, vice president for enrollment marketing and communication at Bellarmine, in an interview last week
Students who transfer to Bellarmine may “send credits back to Jefferson so they can receive associate degrees and certificates from Jefferson,” the release said.
Marshall said in creating the partnership the university kept in mind three tenets in an effort to ensure a student’s successful transition.
- Access — The university has streamlined the admission process in an effort to remove barriers for all students to create a more transfer-friendly process.
- Achievements — Transfer students are coming from diverse backgrounds, Marshall noted. The university will provide wrap-around services, transportation opportunities and accommodations to take into account a student’s schedule.
- Affordability — Scholarships and other grant money are available through this partnership to make the price point comparable to that of other public institutions.
Two students have been admitted to Bellarmine as transfer students through the new partnership, and two more have applied to the program as they begin their studies at JCTC.
Bellarmine and JCTC have designed transfer plans that provide pathways to degrees in biology, chemistry, math, physics, education and health and aging services leadership, the release said.
Dr. Donovan noted the university’s focus on “academic excellence and personal attention.”
“We know that our Jefferson students will be well-prepared for the transition to Bellarmine. And they will thrive under our unparalleled student-centered approach, which includes small class sizes and designated advisors,” she said.
In the past, she said, tuition costs may have been a barrier for JCTC students considering a transfer to Bellarmine, but the new partnership “should alleviate those concerns through generous tuition support that may be comparable to the cost of attending Jefferson.”
Donovan also noted that Bellarmine offers “significant scholarships” for transfer students. Active military members and veterans are also eligible for additional reductions in tuition rates through the university’s participation in the federal Yellow Ribbon program. There is also a full-tuition scholarship available to at least one student per semester, Marshall noted.
Click here to learn more about the program.
