SC State secures bridge to education with SC Technical College System partnership

L-R: SC Technical College System Executive Vice President Hope Rivers, SCTCS President Dr. Tim Hardee, SC State President James E. Clark and SC State Provost Dr. Learie B. Luke celebrate partnership, streamlining transfer between all 16 technical colleges and SC State
 
Students in South Carolina will have the opportunity to advance their educational and career opportunities, thanks to a new SC State University and SC Technical College System partnership. Officials from both organizations have signed a memorandum of understanding that will give students from any of the state’s 16 technical colleges access to SC State’s  bachelor’s degree programs and services to facilitate their successful transfer to the university upon completion of their associate’s degrees.

The partnership, another part of SC State’s Partnerships and Collaborations effort, was announced Tuesday, Jan. 8, by SC State President James E. Clark and SC Technical College System President Dr. Tim Hardee during a press event held on the campus of SC State.

The collaboration will provide graduates from the technical schools’ associate in arts, associate in science and associate in applied science programs direct transfer to SC State, where they will be able to work toward earning their bachelor’s degree.

The alliance with the SC Technical College System is part of SC State’s strategy to leverage its capabilities and increase its public value by forming partnerships and collaborations with academic institutions, businesses and the community.

As the state’s largest higher education system, the SC Technical College System is dedicated to furthering economic and workforce development in South Carolina.

“This memorandum of understanding is a wonderful opportunity for our students across the state,” said Hardee. “Accessibility and affordability provide the foundation for our System.”

SC Technical College System students who transfer to SC State will be able to pursue several degrees including nuclear engineering, speech pathology, biology, music merchandising, psychology,mechanical engineering technology, electrical engineering technology, industrial engineering, business, accounting, marketing, special education, elementary education, social work, history, criminal justice, political science, early childhood education, child development, English and middle-level education.

 About SC State University

Founded in 1896 as a land grant institution with a mission of providing service to the citizens of the state, South Carolina State University has evolved from a small teachers’ college into a major University center of learning and research. Located in Orangeburg, S.C. South Carolina State offers more than 50 different fields of study on the undergraduate and graduate levels. South Carolina State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools.
 
About SC Technical College System

Comprised of 16 colleges located strategically across the state and two internationally-renowned statewide programs: readySC™ and Apprenticeship Carolina™, the SC Technical College System is dedicated to furthering economic and workforce development in South Carolina. As the state’s largest higher education system, the SC Technical System serves more than 175,000 South Carolinians each year and educates more of our state’s undergraduates than all the other public higher education institutions combined.  Dedicated to making a quality higher education both accessible and affordable, the System plays a key role in educating and training South Carolina’s workforce for the in-demand, high-skilled jobs of today and tomorrow. For more information, visit www.sctechsystem.edu or follow us on Twitter (@sctechsystem)