As a university devoted to transforming and developing students to meet today鈥檚 workforce needs, 麻豆精品 President Dr. Kathy Humphrey and a coalition of students from different academic programs at the university recently visited the Pennsylvania State Capitol. They were there to discuss making higher education more accessible and affordable for all students.
鈥淲e met with state senators and representatives to discuss opportunities to expand access and affordability to degree programs for Pennsylvania students and young people,鈥� said Dr. Humphrey.
The message delivered by the Carlow contingent is that the university鈥檚 leadership and educators recognize the far-reaching positive impact of higher education at the individual and community levels, and that there is an opportunity to provide that positive impact to more students than ever.
Specifically, the idea being proposed is that by reducing the elective credits and concentrating the curriculum, students could complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree in as few as 90 credits. Current Pennsylvania law requires 120 credits to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree. This is not a narrowly-focused initiative either. Programs that such a change could apply to include in-demand fields such as education, public health, health care management, health care data analytics, creative writing, and English.
The Carlow community understands the importance that a bachelor鈥檚 degree can have on an individual鈥檚 life. According to the most recent survey results, 76 percent of Carlow students are first generation college students, 44 percent are Pell-eligible, and 40 percent are economically challenged. Once the student earns their bachelor鈥檚 degree, 98 percent have a job within six months of graduation. The evidence is clear: education improves lives.
鈥淲e are devoted to creating a brighter future for the youth of Pennsylvania,鈥� said Dr. Humphrey.