Earlier this week, Seattle Central College and Wilberforce University — the nation’s oldest private, historically Black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio – signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) that will guarantee admission for Seattle Central student who earn their A.A. degree to Wilberforce.
According to Seattle Central President Sheila Edwards Lange, 40 percent of Seattle Central’s students are interested in transferring to a 4-year college, and many of their African American students are interested in transferring to an HBCU (Historically Black College and University). This direct transfer agreement will allow students to transfer to Wilberforce without losing any credits.
“They are guaranteed admission,” said Edwards Lange. “They will enter Wilberforce as juniors, and they will not have to repeat any classes because Seattle Central’s curriculum satisfies Wilberforce’s general education requirements.”
According to officials from both schools, the agreement is mutually beneficial as it allows Wilberforce to expand the pool of potential students interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree at the University while simultaneously giving Seattle Central students an opportunity to experience a different region of the country and continue their collegiate experience at an HBCU.
Founded in 1856, Wilberforce, a liberal arts institution, can trace its origin to a period of history before the Civil War, when the Ohio Underground Railroad was established as a means of escape for all those Blacks who sought their freedom in the North from slavery, one of the destination points of this railroad became Wilberforce University.
According to Wilberforce University President Dr. Herman J. Felton, the school was formed to provide an intellectual Mecca and refuge from slavery’s first rule: ignorance. The school’s most popular programs are mass media communications, biology, psychology and accounting. The school also offers majors in computer, electrical and mechanical engineering. In addition, they offer a major in Advanced Technical Intelligence which provides students with a pathway into the exploding fields of cyber-security and artificial intelligence.
“I want them [our students] to have a broad range of alternatives to consider when trying to obtain a Bachelor’s degree,” said Edwards Lange. “I think there is something that our students can get from and HBCU that they may not get from [places like the University of Washington] that allows them to come out and provide the leadership that our community desperately needs right now.”
Felton is excited about the prospect of adding students from Seattle Central to their pool of potential students, and believes that Dr. Edwards Lange’s vision for Seattle Central compliments his vision for Wilberforce.
“Dr. Lange’s vision and direction for Seattle Central College, particularly for students of color is an attractive draw to the college,” said Felton. “Her progressive thoughts and ideas also align nicely with the Renaissance of Wilberforce as we desire to give space to entrepreneurship, social good and leadership — goals shared with Seattle Central College.”
“Seattle Central, like many community colleges, does an exceptional job in providing students with a strong foundational preparation for undergraduate study,” added Felton. “Additionally, Seattle Central has developed strategies and programs for identifying and remediating student academic deficiencies which makes their students especially equipped to successfully pursue undergraduate study leading to the baccalaureate degree. This partnership creates a wonderful synergy between the two institutions that ultimately benefits its students.”
Both Edwards Lange and Felton noted that students of color tend to have gaps in their pursuit of higher education that can make it difficult for them to complete their degree in a timely manner, it at all. Both are hopeful that this agreement will help eliminate the gaps that can take place between earning an A.A. degree and enrolling and/or earning a degree from a 4-year institution.
“This partnership provides Seattle Central students with a viable option to complete their collegiate education by enrolling in a four-year institution and earning a baccalaureate degree,” said Felton. “This is particularly significant for students of color who, unlike their counterparts, will often stop out of the educational pipeline after a community college experience and not continue to earn a baccalaureate degree.”
Beginning in the fall of 2017, students who have met all requirements for the A.A. degree from Seattle Central will be eligible to transfer to Wilberforce under terms of the MOU.
According to Edwards Lange, she was inspired by a similar agreement that 21 HBCU’s have with the California Community College System, and says that the signing of the MOU with Wilberforce is part of a larger effort to launch guaranteed admissions programs between Seattle Central and HBCU’s.
“We’re trying to get a minimum of five MOU’s signed by the fall,” says Edwards Lange, who says she expects to have another MOU signed with a major HBCU by the middle of July.
