Jefferson Community College And Excelsior College Expand Education Access

ALBANY, NY (05/21/2008)(readMedia)-- Students from Jefferson Community College (JCC) will have additional opportunities to pursue a bachelor’s degree without leaving the area. An agreement between JCC and Excelsior College, a world leader in distance education, allows Jefferson’s 3,200 students and 17,000+ alumni seamless transfer opportunities toward earning a four-year degree and enhancing their career opportunities.

Through this agreement, credits earned in JCC’s associate degree programs will be recognized by Excelsior toward its bachelor’s programs in a variety of disciplines. In addition, JCC graduates may be able to take up to another year of credits at JCC and apply them toward a degree at Excelsior College. Students who transfer from JCC also receive a reduction in Excelsior's tuition and fees.

“We are excited about this collaboration with Jefferson Community College,” said Excelsior College Provost Dana Offerman. “Excelsior is all about removing obstacles that may be preventing working adults from continuing their education. Through this agreement, Jefferson Community College students will be able to pursue a bachelor’s degree and beyond by taking our online courses and through independent study and the use of our college-level proficiency examinations. They will even have the option of completing their third year of study at JCC. With our flexible bachelor's and master's degree programs, students may complete their degrees while maintaining work and family obligations without having to leave the area.”

“This agreement with Excelsior creates one more excellent pathway to baccalaureate study for Jefferson students who wish to pursue their four-year degree without leaving home,” said Katherine F. Fenlon, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Jefferson. “We are most pleased to have Excelsior join the distinguished group of Jefferson’s existing partners and we look forward to working together to advance quality educational opportunities for our students.”

JCC and Excelsior have developed clear transfer guidelines in the areas of business, criminal justice, health sciences, liberal arts, information technology, psychology, and nursing. Excelsior will also accept other college-level credit in transfer as long as it meets faculty determined degree requirements and comes from other colleges and universities or other recognized sources such as ACE evaluated corporate and military training programs. Excelsior has a long and proud history of serving America's military and was recently ranked by Military Advanced Education as one of the top ten colleges nationwide for service to the U.S. military. To see the multiple ways Excelsior accepts transfer credit, visit https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/About/Ways_to_Earn_Credit

Jefferson Community College (www.sunyjefferson.edu) is one of 64 campuses--and one of 30 community colleges--which comprise the State University of New York (SUNY) system; it is the only institution of higher education whose campus is within a 50 mile radius of the city of Watertown, New York. The College offers 30+ transfer and career degree and certificate programs including 6 degrees entirely online. Along with its credit bearing programs, the College offers a variety of workshops, seminars and workforce training opportunities.

Jefferson Community College was chartered in 1961 and is accredited by the Middle States Association. Additionally, the College is fully accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and is a member of the Sevicemembers Opportunity College (SOC) and the Servicemembers Opportunity College Associate Degree Network (SOCAD). In 2007, Jefferson Community College received the Ray Ehrensberger Award for Institutional Excellence in recognition of the College’s innovative and dedicated commitment to the lifelong learning of adults, particularly within the U.S. military community.

Excelsior College (www.excelsior.edu) is an accredited, private, nonprofit institution that focuses on the needs of working adults. Its primary mission is to increase access to a college degree for adult learners by removing obstacles to their educational goals. Excelsior's unique strengths lie in its acknowledged leadership in the assessment of student knowledge. It does so by providing working adults multiple avenues to degree completion that include its own online courses and college-level proficiency examinations, and the acceptance of credit in transfer from other colleges and universities.

Founded in 1971 and located in Albany, N.Y., it is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Excelsior College Examinations are recognized by the American Council on Education (ACE), Center for Adult Learning and Educational Credentials, for the award of college-level credit. It also has specialized accreditation from the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (TAC of ABET), from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), and has been designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing.

U.S. News & World Report’s “America's Best Colleges” report has repeatedly recognized Excelsior College with top rankings for number of transfer students in the nation and the highest percentage of students over 25 years old.

(Top 100 Lists http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankwebex_brief.php)

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