The pilot program will help professionals advance their careers by giving county employees the ability to pursue degrees at discounted prices.
Shepherd University has created a new pilot initiative to give discounted tuition to individuals employed by Jefferson and Berkeley Counties. The initiative is designed to help working adults further their education as a means of advancing their careers through strengthening their professional skills and broadening their educational experiences.
According to an article on Shepherd University’s website, Jack DeRochi, the university’s provost and vice president of academic affairs, was quoted as saying of the initiative, “As the public university of the Eastern Panhandle, Shepherd University is committed to creating pathways that make higher education more accessible for the people who live and work in our region. County employees provide essential services that strengthen our communities every day. This partnership is one way we can invest in their continued growth and professional development.”
Through the initiative, individuals who are employed at full-time status by Jefferson County or Berkeley County will receive tuition discounts to pursue degrees at Shepherd University. Undergraduate students will receive a 20% tuition discount and graduate students will receive a 10% tuition discount.
Those who choose to take advantage of the tuition discounts will have access to the Shepherd University’s Regents Bachelor of Arts program. This program has been designed specifically for adult learners and nontraditional students. A draw of this program is that it recognizes several prior learning opportunities as credit toward a degree, such as military service, workplace training, and previous college courses.
DeRochi said, “Many adults have accumulated valuable experience and college credits over the years but never had the opportunity to finish a degree. The RBA program helps students turn those experiences into academic progress and reach goals that may have once seemed out of reach.”
For more information about Shepherd University, visit the school’s website.