NEWS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS)
Date: March 30, 2009
Margaret Thomson, 859-442-1628; margaret.thomson@kctcs.edu
Transfer Fair Scheduled at Gateway for April 1
Edgewood, Ky. - With its new regional accreditation in place, Gateway Community and Technical College students are finding increased interest in their talents from four-year colleges and universities. More than a dozen regional colleges and universities will converge at Gateway Wednesday to recruit potential students at GCTC's first-ever Transfer Fair. The event will take place at the Student Services Center at the Edgewood Campus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 1.
"The fair is intended to help our students become familiar with how to transfer from Gateway, after receiving an associate degree, to a four-year institution to pursue a bachelor's degree," said Sherry Parsons, GCTC transfer coordinator. "But it's also a great opportunity for anyone to learn more about Gateway and how to begin the journey to a college degree at either the associate's or baccalaureate level."
The fair is a reflection of Gateway's recent accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities to award associate degrees. "Students literally can start here and go anywhere, confident that the credits they earned at Gateway will transfer to the four-year college or university of their choice," said G. Edward Hughes, GCTC president and chief executive officer. "Pursuing postsecondary education at Gateway can lead them directly into the job market or provide the first two years of a bachelor's degree from the college where they transfer.
"Because of our affordable tuition, the overall cost of a bachelor's degree is reduced by a third or more when a student starts with us and then transfers. That can add up to thousands of dollars in savings while the student obtains a great education," Dr. Hughes noted. "This makes the first two years of college more accessible, particularly in today's economy, for people to begin or continue their college careers. Providing that foundation also makes us a great partner for four-year colleges in the region."
Colleges and universities attending the transfer fair include: University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Kentucky State University, Murray State University--Madisonville Regional Campus, Western Kentucky University, Eastern Kentucky University, Northern Kentucky University, Lindsey Wilson College, Campbellsville University, Indiana Wesleyan University, Thomas More College, Metropolitan College, and Mid-Continent University.
The fair is sponsored by the Kentucky Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers and hosted by Gateway and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. Additional topics covered at the event include how to apply for financial aid, the majors offered at four-year Kentucky institutions and elsewhere, and what campus life is like at many four-year institutions.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Sherry Parsons at (859) 442-1623 or
sherry.parsons@kctcs.edu.
Gateway Community and Technical College (GCTC) is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Gateway Community and Technical College. Gateway is accredited by the
Council on Occupational Education, 41 Perimeter Center East NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30346. Phone: 800-917-2081. GCTC enrolls nearly 3,500 students and offers more than 200 associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in 30 subject areas. Classes are provided at GCTC locations in Boone County, Covington/Park Hills, and Edgewood. Through partnerships with more than 400 local businesses, GCTC provides customized, short-term training to more than 3,000 other people. Find out how to "start here and go anywhere" at
www.gateway.kctcs.edu. GCTC is one of 16 colleges that comprise the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. For most Kentuckians, higher education begins here. For more information, visit
www.kctcs.edu.
For most Kentuckians, higher education begins at KCTCS. Our statewide system of 16 colleges and 65 campuses provides citizens throughout the Commonwealth with a quality education that is both accessible and affordable.