Morningside College launched its new Pathways Program today with an announcement that Western Iowa Tech Community College (WITCC) is the first partner in the initiative, which focuses on creating an “academic roadmap” for community college students to earn bachelor’s degrees.

Morningside College launched its new Pathways Program today with an announcement that Western Iowa Tech Community College (WITCC) is the first partner in the initiative, which focuses on creating an “academic roadmap” for community college students to earn bachelor’s degrees.

Morningside College Pathways (MCP) will encourage and support WITCC students to earn an associate’s degree and then transfer to Morningside to complete a bachelor’s degree in business and accounting, education or social and behavioral sciences.

Speaking at a press conference on the WITCC campus, Morningside President John Reynders and WITCC President Terry Murrell said faculty at the two institutions have created academic roadmaps that outline the coursework required for a first-year WITCC student to complete his or her associate’s degree and then easily transfer to Morningside to obtain a bachelor’s degree in one of the three specified academic areas.   

Murrell said, “Morningside has been a great partner over the years and we are looking forward to expanding our partnership to offer more opportunities to our students.”

Reynders explained that the Pathways Program will help ensure that each WITCC student enrolled in the program is “junior-year ready” for transfer to Morningside and on track for graduation their senior year.

“We will employ the working principles of early identification, early involvement, and early commitment,” Reynders said. “We want to make the transfer-in process as smooth as possible.”

In addition to the academic roadmap, WITCC students admitted into the Pathways Program also will receive a financial plan and financial aid award from Morningside.

Once a WITCC student makes a commitment to MCP, he or she will be assigned a Morningside academic adviser, gain access to Morningside’s advising and career planning tools, and be invited to participate in in a variety of activities and events at Morningside, including being able to join performing arts groups.

As the time to transfer approaches, MCP students will have the opportunity to register for Morningside classes and participate in the on-campus housing selection process at the same time as their rising-junior classmates at Morningside.

For more information about Morningside College Pathways, contact Tawnya Beermann, associate dean of students at WITCC, at 800-352-4649, extension 1491; or Cindy Kinney, admissions counselor at Morningside, at 800-831-0806, extension 5190.