CC, WTAMU pact provides students new opportunity

Clarendon College nursing students now have an easy path to earn bachelor’s degree from West Texas A&M University after the two institutions signed a new articulation agreement last week.

CC President Robert Riza called the agreement “an outstanding opportunity for our students” and had high praise for the support that WTAMU President Walter Wendler has shown to community college students.

“You will not find a more supportive university president of community colleges than Walter Wendler,” Dr. Riza said.

Wendler returned that respect for the CC president and also praised Clarendon nursing program.

“I have tremendous respect for Robert,” Wendler said, “and you have a tremendous faculty and staff at Clarendon College that will go hand in hand and make perfect partnership with us.”

WTAMU Undergraduate Nursing Program Coordinator Marietta Branson said the agreement allows nursing students to get their RN through Clarendon College and then finish their BSN at WT.

“You get your core requirements at Clarendon and then do the final 30 hours at WT in residence and in upper level classes,” Branson said.

The agreement will allow associate’s degree receiving students with up to 90 credit hours to automatically initiate the transfer process for a bachelor’s degree at WTAMU even before enrolling. Formalizing the transition will allow aspiring RN licensed nurses opportunity to scholarships, academic support and advising resources at WTAMU.

CC students transferring into WT’s BSN program under the agreement will qualify for a scholarship of $225 per course, WT officials said.

Clarendon College Director of Allied Health Sabrina McCain said the agreement will help keep talented students working in the region and fight “brain drain” – a phrase that describes when smart, talented rural youth leave their communities for urban jobs.

“This benefits students and the community,” McCain said.

With the convenience of online courses, the nursing program at WTAMU serves hundreds of transfer colleges across the country and has received nearly 50 national rankings since 2014. Students are able to apply up to 56 credits for core and prerequisite courses from their community colleges and 34 hours of nursing course credits toward an RN license.

This is the second articulation agreement for students in the Allied Health Department at Clarendon College. In 2016, CC partnered with Texas Tech University Health Science Center on a “3+1” Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree.