MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College is expanding opportunities for students to earn bachelor’s degrees and prepare for high-demand careers through partnerships with Newman University and PrairieLand Partners.
Denny Stoecklein, HutchCC’s director of marketing, discussed the programs during an interview on the BW Morning Show, saying the partnerships help students continue their education while meeting employers’ needs.
Through Newman’s HERE program, HutchCC graduates can pursue bachelor’s degrees in business or education while remaining in Hutchinson. Stoecklein said eligible students who earn an associate degree from HutchCC can receive a $20,000 scholarship from Newman, with potential matching assistance for Pell Grants and other financial aid.
Depending on eligibility and financial aid, Newman’s materials advertise costs as low as $750 per year, he said.
LINK: HutchCC, Newman University establish HERE partnership
“It provides an opportunity for a student to earn their bachelor’s degree from Hutchinson, either in education or in business, and there are some great incentives that go along with it,” Stoecklein said.
A separate criminal justice pathway through Newman and the Kansas Association of Community Colleges could allow qualified students to complete a bachelor’s degree in as little as a year.
Stoecklein said the program could be particularly useful for people who earned an associate degree, entered law enforcement and now want additional education to pursue advancement.
Newman may award up to 30 credit hours for qualifying prior learning, potentially leaving students with 30 credit hours to complete. Online and hybrid options, along with individual advising, are designed to help students continue working while taking classes.
LINK: Accelerated Criminal Justice Degree Pathway Announced by Newman, KACC
“They keep the working schedule in mind,” Stoecklein said. “Each student’s going to have their own advisor and someone who works very closely with them.”
Stoecklein said the education and criminal justice pathways can help strengthen the workforce in fields that need additional employees.
HutchCC also recently showcased its health care programs during an open house at Davis Hall and the Peel Center. Visitors learned about training opportunities in nursing, physical therapist assisting, radiologic technology, surgical technology and other fields.
LINK: HutchCC Allied Health programs prepare students for healthcare careers
Those programs help prepare workers for health care providers in Hutchinson and throughout south-central Kansas, Stoecklein said.
Another workforce partnership took center stage on Friday Sept. 25 during a ribbon-cutting and open house at PrairieLand Partners for its John Deere technician training program.
LINK: HutchCC, PrairieLand Partners put students on a path to technician career
Students begin with HutchCC’s agricultural diesel program at its South Campus near Yoder. After completing the first year, they can apply for the second-year program with PrairieLand Partners.
Stoecklein said selected students receive incentives that include assistance with tools and guaranteed employment with PrairieLand upon successful completion.
Students who complete the first-year certificate also can use their training to maintain equipment on a family farm or pursue other work, he said.
“We are working and collaborating with an industry partner that has a definite need to train technicians,” Stoecklein said.
He said shorter certificate and associate degree programs can help students enter well-paying careers with less educational debt.
Stoecklein also previewed the next Dillon Lecture Series presentation, scheduled for Oct. 13, featuring author and youth advocate Liz Murray.
Murray’s story includes experiencing homelessness as a teenager before completing high school and attending Harvard. Stoecklein said her work supporting underserved young people makes her message especially relevant for students.
“This is one that people need to hear,” he said. “Students need to hear.”