RIDGELAND, Miss.–Jackson State University and the Holmes Community College Ridgeland campus have teamed up to start a new program.
It allows students at the HCC Ridgeland campus to finish up a four-year degree from JSU on the same Ridgeland campus if they’re studying elementary education.
“We’ll be offering our courses for students here [at HCC} and they’ll be able to finish their degree right here at this site,” said Dr. Rodney Washington Chair of Elementary and Early Childhood Eduction at JSU.
Washington said the convenience factor will now be there for current students because they won’t have to travel into the city of Jackson each day if they’re wanting to finish their four-year degree.
In the near future it is likely that more programs and majors will be added to the list for students that would like to stay on the Ridgeland campus for all four years.
“There has been some discussion about some additional programs,” said Don Burnham vice-president for the Holmes Community College Ridgeland campus. “We would like those to merge with what the needs of Madison County are.”
The partnership between the two was well-received on Tuesday which was the first day advising was open.
“I think it’s an awesome idea and a great way to go,” said HCC student Lolita Morales. “It affords the people in the community the ability to attend a college that might too long of a distance to travel to otherwise.”
Morales said she was definitely interested in the program because she had been thinking about attending JSU for her last two years of college but the traveling was going to be an issue.
And the partnership at its core is to try and accommodate students and their needs according to JSU.
“Our whole goal is to provide educational opportunities wherever students need them,” said Jackson State University’s Priscilla Slade special assistant to the provost for community colleges. “We’re trying to meet the educational needs of individuals in this entire area.”
Don Burnham from Holmes Community College speaks below.
