Students will soon be able to attend Lackawanna College for two years and then finish one of more than 30 degree programs at the University of Scranton.
The schools announced the articulation agreements on Tuesday, an unprecedented partnership for students who are often from the region and stay in it after graduation. Provosts from both schools also expect the agreements will boost enrollment and make bachelor’s degrees more accessible for Northeast Pennsylvania residents.
Erica Barone Pricci, Lackawanna College provost and chief academic officer, explained that more than 80% of Lackawanna's students are local.
“Not only do they come from Northeastern Pennsylvania, but they want to build a life here. They want to stay here, raise a family here, buy a house here and become part of our economy,” she said. “For so many of our students attending the University of Scranton right out of high school, or right out of the gate, would have been financially not feasible for them. Having the start at Lackawanna and getting two years under their belt at our tuition rate, and then having the opportunity to earn their completed degree from the University of Scranton is game changing for these students.”
The schools signed agreements for 33 bachelor’s degree programs, including those in accounting, finance, operations management, history, political science, social media strategies, communication tracks in advertising, public relations and journalism and electronic media, counseling and human services, human resources and occupational therapy.
To qualify, Lackawanna students must earn their associate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.75 and enroll at Scranton within one year of graduation. Students with a GPA of 3.00 or higher will be eligible for a merit scholarship with a minimum award of $20,000 per academic year.
Before any financial aid or scholarships, tuition at Lackawanna is about $17,000 per year and at the University of Scranton about $51,500.
Michelle Maldonado, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the university, said the agreements will help provide more options for affordable higher education options in the community.
“This is a way not only to give a broader demographic access to a Catholic and Jesuit education, but also really invest in the community so that we have more local students, more commuter students as part of our student body,” she said.
For more information, visit the websites for the University of Scranton or Lackawanna College.
