Leaders at Bluefield State College and New River Community and Technical College have signed an articulation agreement, making it easier for associate degree graduates to earn their bachelor’s degree.
Now, students who maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average while at New River CTC are able to transfer 67 credits of coursework to Bluefield State College’s general education curriculum and portions of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree program.
The agreement was signed on Oct. 8 by New River CTC President Dr. L. Marshall Washington; New River CTC Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Amy Sue DeSonia; Bluefield State College President Dr. Marsha V. Krotseng; and Bluefield State College Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Larry Conner.
“We want to encourage our graduates to achieve a four-year degree by making the process as simple as possible,” Washington said.
The agreement provides New River CTC graduates with a seamless transfer to Bluefield State College. The two institutions will work collaboratively to admit students and facilitate the process of admissions.
“Bluefield State College is committed to serving the needs of students and employers in Beckley and throughout the region. This agreement reflects the strong partnership between our two institutions to expand opportunities for New River Community and Technical College graduates,” Krotseng said.
The two schools have a history of cooperation in southern West Virginia. New River CTC recently opened a new facility for its Mercer County Campus in downtown Princeton and its Raleigh County Campus in Beaver beside the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center.
“Businesses in our region will benefit from a highly-educated workforce,” DeSonia said. “Our graduates are prepared to tackle the rigors of a bachelor’s degree.”
Bluefield State College offers classes on campus in Bluefield, Beaver, as well as through online and video livestream courses. The articulation agreement is especially significant for New River CTC students interested in a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. The W. Paul Cole, Jr. School of Business, certified by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, is a preeminent teaching-focused business school in southern West Virginia, which includes an emphasis on Health Services Management, a high-demand field of study.
“The Cole School of Business at Bluefield State College is an affordable, nationally-accredited program that operates at the leading edge of technological advancement,” said Dr. John Snead, Interim Dean of W. Paul Cole, Jr. School of Business.
New River Community and Technical College serves nine counties in southeastern West Virginia from the Greenbrier Valley Campus (Lewisburg), Mercer County Campus (Princeton), Nicholas County Campus (Summersville), and Raleigh County Campus (Beaver/Beckley).
