A new partnership between Bellarmine University and Jefferson Community and Technical College will create new opportunities and an easier path for Jefferson students who want
to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Bellarmine.
The Jefferson 2 Bellarmine collaboration, announced on Tuesday morning at a virtual news conference, is an affordable college
transfer option that allows Jefferson students to easily transfer their credits to
Bellarmine with no application fee. It requires 24 credit hours and a 2.0 GPA from
Jefferson.
It also allows students who transfer to Bellarmine to send credits back to Jefferson
so they can receive associate degrees and certificates from Jefferson. Two Bellarmine
students received “reverse transfer” degrees from Jefferson this summer.
Prior to Tuesday’s announcement, two students have been admitted to Bellarmine as
transfer students through the new partnership, and two more have applied to the program
as they begin their studies at Jefferson.
“At Jefferson, we are committed to providing students with a quality education and
support services needed to make a successful transition from community college to
a bachelor’s degree and beyond,” said Dr. Ty Handy, President of Jefferson Community
& Technical College. “We’ve enjoyed a great relationship with Bellarmine, and we’re
thrilled now to formalize this relationship in such a way that we are able to create
more opportunities between the two institutions for a greater impact for our students
and the Louisville community.”
The two institutions have designed specific transfer plans that provide straightforward
pathways to degrees in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, elementary education,
middle grades education, secondary education, and health and aging services leadership.
Bellarmine’s president, Dr. Susan M. Donovan, noted that Bellarmine offers significant
scholarships for transfer students, who can apply to live on campus if they choose.
Active military and veterans are eligible for additional reductions in tuition rates,
through Bellarmine’s participation in the federal Yellow Ribbon program.
“At Bellarmine, we focus on academic excellence and personal attention,” said Donovan.
“We know that our Jefferson students will be well-prepared for the transition to Bellarmine.
And they will thrive under our unparalleled student-centered approach, which includes
small class sizes and designated advisors. In the past, tuition costs may have been
a barrier for Jefferson students considering a transfer to Bellarmine, but this new
partnership should alleviate those concerns through generous tuition support that
may be comparable to the cost of attending Jefferson.”
Handy and Donovan expect their partnership to grow over the next few years, as the
institutions explore collaborations in research, career placement and student learning
opportunities. They have also agreed to explore opportunities for Bellarmine graduate
students to serve as adjunct instructors at Jefferson.
Leon Price, who graduated from Jefferson with an associate degree in art, is one of
the first to take advantage of the new partnership.
“I enjoyed my time at Jefferson because it gave me the educational experience I was
looking for, and the staff treated me like I was part of the family. They made it
easy for me to believe in myself and believe in what’s next,” said Price. “That gave
me the confidence to transfer to Bellarmine this upcoming semester. What brought me
to the Jefferson to Bellarmine pathway was the class sizes at Bellarmine. From my
experience at Jefferson, I know I work best when I’m able to communicate with my professor
one on one, and I’m looking forward to that atmosphere at Bellarmine.”
More information is available at https://www.bellarmine.edu/admissions/jefferson/.
The partnership is Bellarmine’s first formal transfer pathway arrangement with a community
college; Jefferson has several such agreements with four-year institutions.