BEAVER. W.Va. — New River Community and Technical College and nearby WVU Tech in Beckley have formed a new partnership.
The agreement, announced last week, will allow New River CTC graduates admission into the WVU system, including WVU Tech. There are 13 bachelor degrees to choose from, allowing New River CTC graduates to build off their associate degrees.
New River CTC President Dr. Bonny Copenhaver said there wouldn’t be competition for students anymore.
“A lot of time higher ed appears to be competitive, that we are competing for each other students, and certainly for WVU Tech, I think that has been the history. It’s nice to have a different history now, a history where we share the students we have,” she said.
WVU Tech President T. Ramon Stuart said students can be on their way to advance degrees.
“We are giving students an opportunity to take a path from New River all the way to potentially a doctorate degree,” he said. “Most importantly, help them go to places they never dreamed of going.”
Stuart added another goal is to be economical.
“Ultimately, we want to make higher education more accessible, but we want to keep it affordable,” he said.
Stuart said their commencements follow each other this spring.
“It’s unique because our commencements fall on this same day this year, New River goes first, and we will go second. One of the things we want to do is activate this in may, where people walk across the stage at New River, and at the other end of the stage, we are welcoming you, and we’re saying happy to have you,” he said.
The initial bachelor’s degrees New River BTC graduates can build on include chemistry, history, psychology, political science, sociology, business, agribusiness management, and sustainable food and farming.
For more information, visit www.rewriver.edu.
Story by Chayce Matheny