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WIU VP of Quad Cities & Planning Joe Rives, left, and HCC President and WIU Alumnus Rob Widmer formally sign the WIU-HCC agreements.
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WIU & Heartland Community College Sign Agreements

September 22, 2016

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MACOMB/NORMAL, IL -- Western Illinois University and Heartland Community College have signed five agreements that will allow students to concurrently enroll at both institutions and provide a seamless transfer from Heartland to Western.

"We are pleased to enter into these agreements with Heartland to provide expanded educational opportunities for their students," said WIU President Jack Thomas. "Western will provide premier, and unique, academic programs to further the success of Heartland students."

The Linkages Program allows students to take courses at both Western and a participating community college during their first and second year of college to ensure a successful transfer. The agreement includes all of Western's degree programs.

Western and Heartland also signed Bachelor of Arts in General Studies (BGS) and honors agreements. The BGS agreement renews a longstanding agreement that demonstrates the institutions' commitment to work together to provide quality, affordable education for college students. The agreement was first signed in 2008 and it provided Heartland students with maximum course credit transferability into the BGS degree program. Under the BGS agreement, Western grants full credit for all coursework completed in the associate degree, as well as a substantial number of other college credits that a student may have earned.

"The BGS is a fantastic opportunity, especially for graduates who have circumstances that make it difficult to pursue a bachelor's degree in the traditional way," said Heartland Vice President for Learning and Student Success Rick Pearce. "You never know what life may throw your way. Some students may not be able to move or stay in another town to complete their degree. This option provides great flexibility."

Under the honors agreement, Heartland Community College honors students can continue their honors-level curriculum at Western and graduate with University Honors. The agreement allows Heartland honors students to transfer to Western's Centennial Honors College following their individual degree completion at Heartland.

"This agreement will foster a smooth transition for Heartland honors students transferring to the Centennial Honors College," said WIU Centennial Honors College Director Richard Hardy. "The agreement will enable students to achieve the distinction of 'University Scholars,' something that would not be possible without this agreement."

All honors coursework at Heartland will transfer hour-for-hour toward the general honors requirements in WIU's honors college.

"Honors programs are typically unique to each institution," added Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Heartland Sarah Diel-Hunt. "The fact that Western fully accepts HCC's honors program credit towards its own allows our students to seamlessly transition with no trouble completing and graduating on time."

In addition, the institutions also entered into a financial aid consortium agreement, which provides that an enrolled student can qualify for the WIU level of aid and the difference between the difference between HCC and WIU aid is banked for use once the student transfers, and a reverse transfer agreement.

"We are excited to advance our partnerships and educational opportunities for students at Heartland. It is a win-win situation for students enrolled in Normal, Pontiac or Lincoln and who want to continue their academic excellence at Western Illinois University in Macomb, the Quad Cities or through distance (online) learning," said Joe Rives, vice president for the Quad Cities and planning. "We thank the administration of Heartland for giving the students this opportunity. We look forward to building more new and innovative partnerships in the future."

For more information on the WIU-Heartland partnership, contact the WIU Office of Admissions at (309) 298-3157 or email admissions@wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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