Lehigh Carbon Community College joins the state’s community colleges in announcing a new collaboration with Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses to expand educational opportunities in Pennsylvania and remove barriers to degree completion among college students. The collaboration builds upon longstanding relationships between the PSU campuses and the community colleges and a shared commitment to access and affordability in higher education.

As part of the new initiative, individual PSU Commonwealth Campuses and community colleges will renew or enter into new articulation agreements using a standard template. Articulation agreements help streamline the process for students to transfer from community colleges to the campuses. In addition, the community colleges and Commonwealth Campuses will work together to strengthen academic advising and transition support services, further easing the transfer process.

“This agreement removes barriers and simplifies the process for students seeking to transfer, and ultimately benefits students as they are striving to meet their higher education goals,” says LCCC president Dr. Ann D. Bieber. “These expanded pathways that students can take between community colleges and Penn State give students a wide variety of options and support.”

The collaboration will promote the availability of RaiseMe Transfer Scholarships, which enable students who enroll at Pennsylvania community colleges and transfer to Penn State Commonwealth Campuses to earn a baccalaureate degree at considerable savings. Students can start earning a Penn State RaiseMe scholarship while working toward graduation at a community college. They earn micro-scholarships for achievements such as getting good grades.?When they transfer to Penn State, the micro-scholarships are converted to a Penn State scholarship.

In addition, Pennsylvania community college students with a high school degree who are enrolled in an associate degree program may request dual admission to a designated Penn State Commonwealth Campus and receive a conditional offer of admission to that campus. During their last semester of community college enrollment, these students will submit a transfer application at no fee. They will be guaranteed admission into a bachelor’s degree program at that campus, provided certain eligibility requirements have been met. Students can learn more about this opportunity at Penn State’s undergraduate admissions website.

For additional information about transfer options at LCCC, go to www.LCCC.edu/transfer.