Eastern Kentucky University President Michael T. Benson today signed a memorandum of agreement for Eastern Kentucky University to become part of the University Center of Southern Kentucky at Somerset Community College.
The University Center of Southern Kentucky (UCSK) launched in May 2019. The UCSK provides space for four-year partners to offer the third and fourth year of a bachelor’s degree on SCC’s Somerset Campus.
“This is an incredible opportunity for students who want to say in southern Kentucky, but want to get a four-year degree from EKU in one of our core areas like criminal justice,” said Benson.
The partnership between the UCSK and the participating universities, including EKU, was created based on community demands, workforce needs and student access. High school graduates will have the option to stay close to home to get a four-year degree at an affordable rate, and non-traditional students will have an option to further their educational goals. In addition to criminal justice, EKU will also offer a variety of its online courses through the UCSK program, including communications, business and nursing.
The initiative was announced in May 2019 by Rep. Hal Rogers, Gov. Matt Bevin, Dr. Jay Box, president of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and Dr. Carey Castle, president and CEO of Somerset Community College. Fall 2019 students are already taking classes from participating universities.
UCSK will have offerings from EKU, Western Kentucky University and Morehead State University, and hopes to have offerings from the University of Kentucky in the future.
Students will have the opportunity now to take the first two years of classes at Somerset Community College, and then do the final two years of their bachelor’s degree from one of the three partner regional universities, without ever having to leave the SCC campus.