Maine Community College grads guaranteed transfer paths to six Maine independent colleges under new agreement

AUGUSTA, ME (MCCS) - Community college graduates in Maine can now transfer directly to degree programs at six of Maine's independent four-year colleges under the new Maine Transfer Guarantee announced Wednesday.

"The Maine Transfer Guarantee takes the guesswork out of higher ed planning for many Maine students and families," said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System. "This provides clear benchmarks and guideposts to students and their families mapping out what can often be a confusing higher ed journey. Now they know exactly how to get from their associate degree to a four-year degree and beyond."

Under the program, community college graduates meeting GPA requirements are guaranteed admission in programs at College of the Atlantic, Husson University, Thomas College, Saint Joseph's College of Maine, Unity Environmental University, and University of New England. More detailed information is available at the Maine Transfer Guarantee student portal.

The agreement is the latest statewide Transfer Guarantee program coordinated by the New England Board of Higher Education. Other New England Transfer Guarantee programs existin Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. A New Hampshire program will launch this year.

"The Maine Transfer Guarantee is a big step forward in simplifying transfer with the goal of helping students stay on track to earn the bachelor's degree they seek by removing barriers that previously slowed them down, such as credits lost in the transfer process that add both cost and time to degree," said James Herbert, president of the Maine Independent Colleges Association and president of the University of New England.

Maine's community colleges already have guaranteed transfer agreements with Maine's public universities, including a block transfer agreement that guarantees transfer of up to 35 credits of general education requirements, and Advantage U, which guarantees community college Liberal Arts graduates admission with advanced standing to a Maine public university.

The New England Transfer Guarantee initiative, aimed at establishing systemic state transfer programs, is funded by the Teagle Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Davis Educational Foundation, and the Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation.

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Maine's seven community colleges have the lowest tuition and fees in New England and serve more than 30,000 students a year through early college, short-term workforce training, associate degree, certificate, and advanced certificate programs.

More information about the Maine Transfer Guarantee is available at https://transfer.mccs.me.edu/

Maine Transfer Guarantee Partners

"Increasing access to four-year degree pathways will play a key role in helping to ensure the wellbeing of Maine's diverse communities and overall economic health. College of the Atlantic is pleased to partner with the Maine Community College System on this innovative, vital program," says COA President Dr. Darron Collins '92.

"We are pleased to continue our longstanding history of welcoming transfer students to Husson University with this new guaranteed transfer agreement for Maine community colleges. This will ensure that students seeking to continue their education will have access to scholarships and also receive transfer credits at Husson," said Lynne Coy-Ogan, president-elect, provost, and senior vice president for academic affairs at Husson. "It is our hope that this opportunity will encourage more students to choose Husson as they continue their education beyond community college."

"Saint Joseph's College has a long history of supporting transfer students who have graduated from Maine's community colleges. We are excited to be part of the Maine Transfer Guarantee agreement ensuring that more Maine students can seamlessly transition from their community college to Saint Joseph's College. Maine students have terrific higher education options and we are proud to be one of them," said Saint Joseph's College of Maine President Joseph Cassidy.

"Thomas College is pleased to join the Maine Transfer Guarantee. Higher education is the path toward a strong economic future for Maine students and the Maine economy. This guarantee helps remove barriers and makes a baccalaureate degree accessible and affordable for even more students," said Thomas College Provost Thomas Edwards.

"The Maine Transfer Guarantee is a big step forward in simplifying transfer with the goal of helping students stay on track to earn the bachelor's degree they seek by removing barriers that previously slowed them down, such as credits lost in the transfer process that add both cost and time to degree," said James Herbert, President of the Maine Independent Colleges Association and President of University of New England.

"We are proud to be a part of the Maine Transfer Guarantee, which opens up new opportunities for community college graduates to seamlessly continue their education at Unity Environmental University or any partnering institution. This initiative aligns perfectly with our mission to provide accessible, high-quality education focused on environmental stewardship. By reducing barriers to transfer, we can help more students achieve their academic and career goals, ultimately contributing to a more educated and environmentally conscious workforce," said Unity Environmental University President, Dr. Melik Peter Khoury.

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