Students in certain programs at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland will be able to seamlessly transfer to Saint Joseph's College in Standish under a new partnership.
SMCC's Dean of Academic Excellence, Dr. Matthew Goodman, says the goal is to provide a clear pathway for students who want to pursue a four-year degree.
"It's one thing to talk about a Bachelor's degree after you complete your associate's degree," he says. "It's an entirely other thing to be put in an environment where you can actually see yourself doing it."
Goodman students may also choose to live on Saint Joseph's campus their sophomore year and take classes while paying SMCC tuition.
"If you qualify for the Maine free college scholarship, guess what?" he says. "You're enjoying free tuition while taking three-quarters of your course schedule at SMCC and a quarter of your schedule at Saint Joseph's."
The partnership includes 10 new transfer agreements in coursework that includes nursing, science, business, education, and criminal justice studies.
