Penn State and CCAC sign Articulation Agreement

The signing of an articulation agreement between Penn State and the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) was met with great enthusiasm by administrators from both schools as well as local business leaders.“It is always a plus when institutions view each other as partners in collaboration as opposed to competitors,” said Bill Flanagan, chief corporate relations officer for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and host and producer of WPXI-TV’s “Our Region’s Business,” at an event marking the signing on July 15. He added, “It is very important to Pittsburgh and Allegheny County that this agreement will, hopefully, encourage students to stay in our region, get educated here, and stay, and make a difference here.”

The agreement, effective this fall, will facilitate the transfer of CCAC students into baccalaureate programs at six Penn State campuses, including Beaver, DuBois, Fayette, Greater Allegheny, New Kensington, and Shenango.

“Penn State and CCAC share the common goal of enhancing education for students in our region.  This articulation agreement will make it easier for CCAC students to transition into the Penn State system.  It will allow them to earn an affordable, quality college education,” said Penn State Greater Allegheny Interim Chancellor Nancy L. Herron.“Through our shared commitment to providing quality educational programming that is both affordable and accessible, the Community College of Allegheny County and Penn State University have once again joined forces to enable graduates of CCAC’s associate degree programs the opportunity to seamlessly transfer to Penn State in order to further their educational goals,” said CCAC President Quintin B. Bullock. “In so doing, together we are helping to ensure that future graduates have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive and diverse global marketplace.”      The agreements provide students who earn their associate degree an academic pathway to transfer into a parallel bachelor’s degree program at the six campuses. The coordination of transferrable coursework, supported through academic advising, will support the successful transition for students. When transferring to Penn State, CCAC students must apply for admission, submit required transcripts and meet Penn State’s admissions requirements. Penn State application fees will be waived for CCAC students who apply for baccalaureate programs.