Union College News

Union, KCTCS Partnership Brings New Programs, Scholarships

Union College recently announced that Union College at the Bennett Center will change both its name and its academic offerings. The change is the result of conversations between Union and Somerset Community College (SCC), a member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS).

Union’s London-based program, located on the Bennett Center campus, is now known as Union College London Center. The site previously offered a degree completion program. In fall 2008, the center will offer students both bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. The new programs are intended primarily for community college graduates and working adults who wish to earn a master’s degree.

James Davis, a college counselor at SCC’s Laurel Campus, was instrumental in the change. In meetings to discuss transfer issues between SCC and Union, Davis shared the obstacles his students face when they choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree following graduation. Together, Davis and Union ironed out a plan.

Jerry Jackson, Union’s dean of enrollment management, says his staff has always been sensitive to the unique needs of KCTCS transfer students and was eager to respond.

“Many SCC graduates want to earn a bachelor’s after they complete an associate degree,” says Jackson. “But they often need to work full-time to help finance their education. It isn’t always feasible for them to travel to our main campus in Barbourville and attend traditional classes on a traditional schedule.”

Jackson says the new programs and the partnership between Union and SCC also support the state’s drive to increase the number of Kentuckians with a bachelor’s degree. “The state as a whole is really committed to this issue, particularly as it relates to economic development,” says Jackson. “It’s especially important for all of us in southeastern Kentucky. It’s an issue Union can certainly get behind and support.”

Jackson points out that adults who have been out of school for a while can also benefit from the new London Center offerings. “There are a lot of people in the workforce who earned their associate degree years ago, or who have a bachelor’s degree but want to earn a master’s,” says Jackson. “The London Center is a good fit for them as well. You don’t have to be a new community college grad to qualify for the program.”

Union College London Center’s classes will be offered on evenings and weekends. Some classes will be available online. To help with affordability concerns, Union is extending its transfer scholarship program so that KCTCS graduates who enroll full-time at the London Center will be eligible for a renewable scholarship of up to $5,000 each year.

Applications are now being accepted in preparation for fall 2008. Students can earn a bachelor’s in business, management or psychology. A master’s degree in clinical psychology is also available. To apply, contact Jessica Cook, Union's assistant dean of enrollment, at jcook@unionky.edu or 1-800-489-8646. Application packets can also be obtained from James Davis at the SCC-Laurel Campus. Open houses at the Union College London Center are scheduled for April 5, 1:00-4:00, and May 10, 1:00-4:00.

For more information about Union College, visit www.unionky.edu.

March 28, 2008

[Top]