College students in southern Arizona will soon have new opportunity. In fall 2020, The Catholic University of America will launch a collaborative degree in business with Pima Community College (PCC) in Tucson. The University has worked with more than 600 members of the community to customize this program for the city.
The University’s partnership withPCChas a dual aim: To make an “innovation investment”in a new generation of learners, especially those from the large and growing population in the area, and to help address demands on the local workforce. It will do this through close cooperation with area employers, according to Vincent Kiernan, dean of the Metropolitan School of Professional Studies at Catholic University that will administer the program. Indeed, it has formed a local employer network to help students build bridges to local businesses and to prepare students for the future of work.
Currently, less than half of Arizona residents of working age hold a college certificate or degree. State government and business leaders have committed to raising that to 60 percent by 2030. They project demand for another 1 million college credentials to reach that goal.
Courses at Catholic University-Tucson will be delivered through an innovative hybrid teaching model. It will combine interactive online modules by faculty in theBusch School of Business, small group discussions moderated by on-site instructional guides, and experiential learning tied to local businesses.
Mayor, Regina Romero City of Tucson, is excited to welcome The Catholic University of America to Tucson. “On behalf of the City of Tucson, I welcome the Catholic University of America to Tucson! Through their collaborative program with Pima Community College, students will be prepared to enter the workforce with the skills local employers are looking for, helping us retain local talent right here in Tucson,” said Mayor Regina Romero, “I’m excited for this opportunity to increase access to affordable higher education, especially for first generation college students.”
“An overwhelming majority of Hispanic families in the United States report they are Catholic. But historically they have lacked access to nearby Catholic colleges,” said Catholic University President John Garvey. A University analysis shows that of the 25 U.S. cities with the largest increases in Hispanic population, nine have no Catholic college or university nearby.
The new program will start with one cohort of 20 students. Plans are to expand enrollment to 5 cohorts per year within three years. During the first two years, students will take both PCC and Catholic University courses. After earning their PCC associate degree, students will then complete their Bachelor of Arts degree in management through the University. Some 75 percent of all credits earned by students in the program will be awarded by Catholic University, says Kiernan.
For the past year, four San Miguel Catholic High School Sophomoreshave been hired through the Corporate Work Study Program to help build and launch the program. The students are incredible assets and are very much part of the Tucson team. The work students are involved with includes user testing on all aspects of the program, social media managers, researchers, and recruiters. In less than one year, this experience for these young women has given them a front row seat to programming, business meetings, recruitment, expansion of business knowledge, and has increased their confidence and skill set for forge their own dreams and goals after high school. The sophomore team includes Zedd Nganga, Ciela Paz, Vivian Figueroa, and Isabella Rodriguez.
With the support of generous donors, the use of existing space and leading-edge instructional technology, Catholic University also has been able to set tuition price for the program below the annual, in-state tuition of any major public university in Arizona. More information can be found on website: www.catholic.edu/tucson
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