WCC forms partnership with Mississippi State

From an idea given birth on the golf course, students in the Demopolis area seeking an undergraduate degree now have the option of earning one from Mississippi State University, thanks to a partnership between MSU-Meridian and Wallace Community College.

The two schools signed an agreement that went into effect Jan. 1 allowing students at WCC – at both the Demopolis and Selma campuses – to earn full credit for the first two years of college at MSU.

“It’s important to have a relationship with them,” said Blaine Hathcock, director of the WCC Demopolis campus.

What makes the arrangement even more attractive is that MSU students living in west Alabama don’t have to pay out-of-state tuition.

MSU-Meridian has created Partnership Pathways with several community colleges in Mississippi. This is the first partnership with an Alabama college.

Students taking part in the Pathways program benefit from having degree-specific course plans tailored for each of the four degree programs being offered at WCC-Demopolis: Applied Technology and Healthcare Services; Event and Hospitality Management, Accounting and Business Administration.

“We’ll provide them with a piece of paper that will basically lay out their whole four years of college,” said Hathcock. “Their first two years will be (WCC) course numbers provided by Mississippi State, so it makes it very simple for that student to follow.”

WCC spent some $40,000 over the Christmas break to install special camera and computer technology to allow synchronous instruction. Students in Demopolis can interact with their teachers on the Meridian or Starkville campuses, and the instructors can see their students.

“There obviously could be times that you could take your whole four years degree here without leaving Demopolis,” Hathcock continued. “It allows us to expand our program offerings.”

Although initial plans were for the interactive classes to begin in the fall, any student interested can register now for the spring semester which begins Jan. 19 and take advantage of the Pathways program. The agreement is for five years with an automatic renewal of another five.

Hathcock said the idea for a partnership between the two schools began on the golf course when he discussed such an arrangement with Dr. Willie Hill, a Demopolis resident who is Business Division Head and professor of marketing at MSU-Meridian.

Dr. James Mitchell, president of WCC, wholeheartedly supported the plan. “Dr. Mitchell is a big proponent of partnerships,” said Hathcock. He wants to make the transition easier for students who seek a bachelor’s degree.

Hathcock, former Demopolis High School principal, is enthusiastic about the capabilities the advanced technology provides for students, giving them instant feedback. Although they are not in the classroom, the arrangement allows them instant interaction with the instructor. He envisions students here being able to sit in on classes in any other part of the state.