FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2010
Contact: Anika Mitchell Perkins
(662) 329-7124
aperkins@pa.muw.edu

MUW online college signs agreement with East Mississippi Community College

COLUMBUS, Miss. – A memorandum of agreement recently signed between Mississippi University for Women’s online college and East Mississippi Community College has sealed the beginning of a long-term partnership between the two institutions.

As part of the agreement, EMCC and MUW will work together to ensure the delivery of quality associate’s and bachelor’s degrees to the people within the service areas of EMCC. MUW will offer completion degrees that complement the associates of applied science degrees offered by EMCC.

“East Mississippi Community College can now utilize the power of a four-year, degree-granting university to recruit future students by offering them a seamless continuation of their degree program in a bachelor’s degree,” explained Dr. William “Bill” Mayfield, MUW dean of the School of Professional Studies. “They can do it at home after work or in some cases, companies provide a couple of hours of time during the work day so their employees can complete their degrees and the company receives the benefit of that new education.”

The letter of agreement also allows for the future development of programs that will mutually benefit both MUW and EMCC. One such program is the MIS program at both institutions wherein MUW and EMCC can come together and offer unique courses in which both institutions contribute resources to provide opportunities to the students of both programs in the latest programming skills and application development.

All of the bachelor’s of technology degree programs are offered online in an accelerated format that will allow the students to graduate with their bachelor’s degree in approximately 18 months.

EMCC students also will be able to take advantage of the Tuition Guarantee Program to apply to their online courses, according to Mayfield. This program allows qualified students to attend MUW tuition-free for up to four semesters.

Dr. Rick Young, EMCC president said, "We're so pleased to be forging new partnerships with MUW. At EMCC, we talk about knocking down the barriers that stand between people and opportunity, and this new, seamless transition from community college to MUW will be of great assistance to our students. We appreciate MUW's initiative and look forward to working ever more closely in the future."

Mayfield added, “With this agreement between MUW and EMCC, we have the opportunity to change the way we educate in Mississippi by four-year and two-year schools sharing resources, programs and creating opportunities for shared services.”