Great news for students at Quinsigamond Community College and Mount Wachusett Community College. A new articulation agreement will allow students the ability to transfer seamlessly and take advantage of quality, affordable education at both schools. An articulation agreement is a formal partnership between two or more institutions of higher education. Typically, this type of agreement is formed between a community college and a four-year institution with the goal of creating a seamless transfer process for students. Community colleges can also develop similar agreements that give students access to programs their community college doesn’t offer. In this case, MWCC partnered with QCC to offer programs in which MWCC does not currently offer, and QCC did the same with programs that it currently does not offer.
Quinsigamond Community College President Luis G. Pedraja, Ph.D. and Mount Wachusett Community College President James L. Vander Hooven, Ed.D. signed the agreement last week. The new agreement will allow QCC students to transfer to Mount Wachusett Community College to earn an Associate Degree in either Physical Therapist Assisting or Veterinary Technology. MWCC students will have a similar reciprocal transfer opportunity with QCC. MWCC students interested in an Associate Degree in Radiologic Technology or Respiratory Care can transfer into QCC’s programs once their general education courses are completed.
“We serve the community and our communities are not defined by rigid boundaries; they blend into one another,” President Pedraja said. “I think it is critical to create partnerships such as this one that will allow us to provide services to a greater number of students.”
"One of the areas in Massachusetts that all community colleges are looking for are ways to partner with one another so that we are not duplicating all of the services we offer. I think the proximity of QCC and MWCC offers us an opportunity for unique partnerships and this is a perfect example of how we can do that,” said President Vander Hooven.
Both presidents see these types of agreements increasing in the future to meet the needs of a diverse student population that community colleges historically serve.
“It can’t be about competing against one another. We’re all part of the Commonwealth and we are all working to help our students to ensure they are successful,” said President Pedraja.
Visit QCC or MWCC to learn more about these new program partnerships. To see the list of QCC's articulation agreements, please click here.
