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Collaboration creates ‘seamless transition’ in higher education

MARSHFIELD – UW-Marshfield/Wood County, UW-Marathon and UW-Stevens Point today announced the UW Central Wisconsin Connection - a collaborative program that campus leaders say will benefit students and campuses alike.

Dr. Andrew Keogh, dean of UW-M/WC, said that UW statistics indicate that the longer students are enrolled in the two-year UW Colleges – before transferring to a four-year campus – the more likely they are to graduate.

“The dual-enrollment opportunity created by this program allows students benefits from all three institutions and provides them with a virtually effortless transfer to UWSP after they’ve completed two years at either UW-M/WC or UW-MC,” Keogh said. “Courses taken at any of the three institutions will count toward a bachelor’s degree.”

Keogh, UWMC Dean James Veninga, UWSP Chancellor Linda Bunnell signed the agreement during a press conference Thursday morning (Oct. 20) at UWMC.  UW Regent Mark Bradley and UW System President Kevin Reilly were also in attendance.

Through the UW Central Wisconsin Connection Program, students can enroll in either UWMC or UW-M/WC and UW-Stevens Point via the dual-enrollment agreement. Once accepted, they can take classes at one, two or all three institutions, with the expectation that a minimum of 42 credits will be taken at either UW-M/WC or UWMC. Sophomores at either of the two-year campuses can enter the program after earning at least 30 credits with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and completing UW Colleges general education courses with a “C” or better.

“This program is extremely significant in that it creates a strong connection between students at the 2-year colleges and UWSP early in students’ college careers,” Keogh said. “It encourages students at the two-year colleges to maintain their primary enrollment at those campuses through their sophomore year, and provides extra advising and career guidance to help create a smooth transition to the four-year campuses.”

Heidi Much, a UWSP education major who graduated from UW-M/WC in May, said she could have benefited greatly from the dual-enrollment opportunity when she started her college career two years ago.  Though all credits earned at a UW Colleges campus are guaranteed to transfer to a four-year campus regardless, a dual-enrollment agreement could have made Much’s transfer to UWSP seamless.

“The transition would have been so much smoother if I had dual enrollment,” she said. “I would felt like I was a part of UWSP and UW-M/WC right from the beginning. I would have had a student ID sooner and I would have had library privileges.  (The UW Central Wisconsin Connection) program will really be a terrific help to students."

UW Central Wisconsin Connection benefits to students also include:

●    Courses taken at any of the three institutions will count toward a bachelor’s degree.

●    Library privileges at all three campuses.

●    Opportunities for campus housing at UWSP and UWMC.

●    Academic advising from UWSP and UW-M/WC or UWMC.

●    Access to recreational facilities at all three campuses

●    Access to health services, counseling and career advising at UWSP.

●    Access to health insurance through UWSP (fee required).