STCC partners with Elms to offer pathway to biology degree
STCC President John B. Cook, left, and Elms College President Harry E. Dumay sign a transfer agreement.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College and the College of Our Lady of the Elms are partnering to create an affordable and seamless pathway for students to transfer into the Biology Program at Elms.
Students who earn their associate degree in Engineering and Physical Science Transfer (Biology Transfer) from STCC can enroll at Elms as a biology major to seek a bachelor’s degree, according to the terms of an articulation agreement.
STCC and Elms College administrators stand behind STCC President John B. Cook, left, and Elms College president Harry E. Dumay.
The collaboration between the two institutions allows students who earn their bachelor’s degree and meet grade point average requirements to enroll in the master’s degree program.
In recent years, STCC and Elms, with a campus in Chicopee, have worked together to offer several other program transfer agreements, including pathways for computer-related majors, social work, graphic design, health information technology, medical coding and billing, and nursing.
In a ceremony on May 2, STCC President John B. Cook, Ph.D., and Harry Dumay, Ph.D., MBA, president of Elms College, formally signed an agreement that eases the coursework transfer between the two colleges for students seeking degrees in biology.
Students who earn their associate degree from STCC in Biology Transfer will enter Elms as third-year students with at least 60 transfer credits. Elms will accept 75 credits from STCC. Students need to earn 120 credits to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Full-time students could complete their bachelor’s in two years at Elms.
STCC President John B. Cook and Elms College President Harry E. Dumay shake hands at a signing event at STCC on May 2.
The STCC-Elms program includes a combination of online courses and some on-campus low residency lab course experiences.
“We are thankful again to collaborate with Elms and offer an affordable pathway to a biology degree,” said STCC President John B. Cook, Ph.D. “Students will gain skills that open the door to many employment opportunities including careers in the medical and pharmaceutical fields.”
Harry E. Dumay, Ph.D., MBA, president of Elms College, said, "We are delighted to partner with Springfield Technical Community College once again and offer STCC Engineering and Science Transfer students a pathway to complete their education at Elms. With this agreement, we hope to increase the number of skilled workers employed in the life sciences in western Massachusetts."
Vice President of Academic Affairs Geraldine de Berly, Ph.D., said, “This is an exciting opportunity for our students interested in the life sciences. This new transfer pathway applies to students who are full time or part time which is an important feature for students who need flexibility and strengthens our partnership with Elms.”
Added Walter C. Breau, Ph.D., vice president of Academic Affairs at Elms, "Elms College and STCC have a long history of educating students in the Pioneer Valley and we are excited that this partnership can provide STEM students at STCC with easy access to complete their bachelor's degree at Elms.”
Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.
About Springfield Technical Community College
STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequaled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.
About Elms College
Elms College is a coeducational Catholic college offering a liberal arts curriculum that prepares students holistically for a purposeful life in a diverse and interconnected world. Founded in 1928 by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Elms College has a tradition of educating reflective, principled and creative learners, who are rooted in faith, educated in mind, compassionate in heart, responsive to civic and social obligations, and capable of adjusting to change without compromising principle. Visit us at: elms.edu
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu