Dabney S. Lancaster Community College (DSLCC) and Mary Baldwin College (MBC) will partner to offer area residents the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree without leaving the area through Mary Baldwin’s Adult Degree Program (ADP). Both men and women will be able to satisfy lower-division course requirements through DSLCC and enroll in junior and senior level courses through MBC, completing them without travel to the Staunton campus or any other satellite locations. This program will be available on DSLCC’s Clifton Forge campus and at the DSLCC Rockbridge Regional Center in Buena Vista.
Two information sessions will be held on Tuesday, July 14. The first session will be held on the DSLCC Clifton Forge campus in McCarthy Hall, Room 502, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The second will be held at the DSLCC Rockbridge Regional Center, 35 Vista Links Drive, Buena Vista, in Room 915 from 6-7 pm. For more information about the sessions, call (540) 863-2819.
Staff will be available to answer questions about admission, majors, developing a customized pathway toward completion based on individual educational and career plans, financial aid programs, and other details. Anyone who is considering earning a bachelor’s degree is encouraged to attend; there is no obligation and light refreshments will be served. A brief presentation will be given by MBC’s Lallon Pond, associate dean of the college, director of the Adult Degree Program and associate professor of business administration, followed by questions and answers, and time for personal appointments to meet with advisors. It is possible to begin working toward a degree by the end of the summer.
MBC offers more than 50 majors and minors in areas of interest including business, criminal justice, education, health sciences, English, history, psychology, and social work.
MBC accepts up to 90 credit hours from other accredited colleges and universities; its agreement with the Virginia Community College system provides that any student with a transfer-oriented degree from DSLCC or other community college in Virginia with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher may qualify for guaranteed admission. The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is another way to earn credit. Students who score at or above the appropriate level on CLEP tests may receive three to six semester hours’ credit to apply toward a bachelor’s degree. Another option that MBC offers for ADP students is credit for prior learning, a benefit for adult learners who have gained experience throughout their personal and professional lives and have the opportunity to translate that knowledge into credit.
“Mary Baldwin College continues to expand its reach from serving traditional students in a formal residential setting to non-traditional learners who need to gain credentials expected in the workforce, and to do so at their own pace,” said MBC President Pamela Fox.
John Rainone, DSLCC President, expressed his support for this new partnership. “Many DSLCC graduates ask about taking their education to the next level, but many times family, community and employment obligations make it difficult to travel to other campuses,” said Rainone. “Those who select the ADP through the DSLCC group will have the chance to work with an MBC advisor and instructors without having to travel out of the area. The chance to earn a bachelor’s degree more achievable than ever.” Rainone also noted that Mary Baldwin reaches out to those who have served in the military, complementing DSLCC efforts to more fully meet the educational and occupational needs of veterans.
Students find that the personal connections with faculty, staff and fellow students make the learning experience more personal than online-only programs. For general information about the DSLCC MBC partnership, contact DSLCC’s Office of Academic Affairs at (540) 863-2841. For details about the MBC Adult Degree Program, contact Pond at (540) 887-7274 or long on to www.mbc.edu/adultdegree.
Mary Baldwin College, founded in 1842, is a diverse institution that transforms lives through personalized education and innovatively integrates liberal arts, experiential learning, civic engagement, and global citizenship. At the undergraduate level, the College for Women serves about 750 students on the college’s historic main campus in downtown Staunton, Virginia, and the Adult Degree program serves both men and women on campus and at regional centers throughout Virginia. A top-ranked master’s level university, MBC also offers co-educational graduate programs in education, health sciences, and Shakespeare and Performance.