Officials from both schools formalized the agreement at a signing ceremony on December 11, in the C. Ted Lick Wildwood Conference Center at HACCís Harrisburg Campus.
Under the agreement between Albright and HACC, students who earn their associate degree at HACC are assured a place at Albright to complete their bachelorís degree, provided they maintain a 2.0 grade point average. Albright also offers generous scholarships toHACC graduates with certain grade point averages. "This program is an excellent example of how higher education institutions can work together effectively for the direct benefit of our students," said HACC President Dr. Edna V. Baehre. "HACC's agreement with Albright expands our current partnership whereby our students can enter an accelerated degree completion program through Albright right here in Harrisburg and in Lancaster."
"The high quality of the HACC associate degree is an ideal springboard to the Albright bachelor's degree and we welcome HACC students in both our traditional four-year program and our Accelerated Degree Completion Program. We look forward to a continuing collaboration with Harrisburg Area Community College," said Henry A. Zimon, Ph.D., president of Albright College.
The agreement, which is effective immediately, enables students to apply to both institutions simultaneously, as early as their senior year of high school. Students in the program can take advantage of financial aid opportunities at both institutions, and will have access to academic and career advising services as well as library resources and campus facilities at all locations of HACC, and at Albright.
HACC has campuses in Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and Gettysburg with nearly 11,000 students. Founded in 1856, Albright College in Reading is a nationally ranked, private, four-year liberal arts college with more than 1600 students. Albright offers a rigorous liberal arts curriculum which features interdisciplinary studies, student/faculty research, individualized majors and a 13:1 student-faculty ratio. Albrightís Accelerated Degree completion program, part of Albright's Graduate and Professional Division, currently has locations in Reading, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Blue Bell, and Pottstown.