READING, Pa. – On Tuesday, July 26, Reading Area Community College (RACC) signed a guaranteed transfer agreement with Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania in the Miller Center for the Arts on the RACC campus.
RACC and Commonwealth
University (Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities) established
this agreement to ensure qualifying students who graduate from RACC are
guaranteed admission to Commonwealth University with at least full junior
standing; with a guarantee for a renewable transfer scholarship based on the
students’ academic performance while enrolled at RACC and Commonwealth
University.
“We are celebrating today a
new agreement with Commonwealth University, which will open many new doors of
opportunity for our graduates. This pathway is the result of great cooperation
and collaboration between faculty and deans of our respective institutions and
will serve well both the needs of our institutions and, more importantly, those
of our students,” says Reading Area Community College President, Dr. Susan
Looney.
Commonwealth University will
guarantee on-campus housing at the Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, or Mansfield
campuses for the first year of full-time attendance for transferring students
who wish to live on campus.
“Commonwealth University is committed to working with our
community college partners to break down traditional barriers to education and
ensure students have a clear path to success. This agreement is a shining
example of partnership in action,” said CU President Bashar Hanna. “I’m
thrilled to witness the collaboration between our colleagues at Reading Area
Community College and Commonwealth University—their vision and dedication is
providing students a seamless transition, along with guaranteed, renewable
transfer scholarships. Thank you to all who have made this possible in service
to our region’s students.”
Student scholarships are also an exciting component of the
agreement. Commonwealth University will award 4 tiers of transfer scholarships
to RACC graduates – Tier 1 (3.50 GPA or above at RACC) will award $5,000
annually, Tier 2 (3.0 – 3.49 GPA at RACC) will award $4,000 annually, Tier
3 (2.50 – 2.99 GPA at RACC) will award $3,000 annually, and Tier 4 (2.0
– 2.49 GPA at RACC) will award $2,000 annually.
“The availability of student scholarships
when transferring a RACC associate degree to Commonwealth University’s
bachelor’s degree program makes access to a continuing education easier and
will reduce the financial burden for our qualified transferring students,” says
RACC Director of Academic Partnerships, Kristen M. Marcinko.
About Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania
With 500 combined years of serving the students of Pennsylvania and beyond, Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities have joined together under the banner of Commonwealth University. Our mission is to expand high-quality, affordable academic opportunities to support the needs of all learners. Together, we provide financially responsible degree options that maximize experiential learning, career preparation, and efficient time to degree completion.
About Reading Area Community College
Reading Area Community College is an accredited,
comprehensive, open-enrollment education institution that provides associate
degree, certificate, and diploma programs, career-focused training, transitional
coursework, skills training for business and industry, personal enrichment
programs, and public service activities. Sponsored by Berks County, the college
provides affordable access to meet identified community educational needs.