Wallace State Community College and the University of West Alabama have announced a partnership to facilitate a collaborative and seamless transfer process for students pursuing degrees in Early Childhood Education. This agreement aims to enhance educational opportunities and streamline the transition for WSCC students into UWA’s bachelor’s degree program in early childhood education and provides them with opportunities to take part in apprenticeships while attending college. It is also geared to meet the workforce demand for pre-K teachers as Alabama expands access to high quality pre-K throughout the state.

Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics and UWA President Dr. Todd G. Fritch met recently to announce a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), formalizing the partnership between the two institutions.

“This will benefit not only our current college students who transfer, but all of our students who are in that dual enrollment pathway,” Karolewics said.

“We appreciate the opportunity to partner with such a high-quality institution,” UWA President Dr. Fritch said, congratulating the college on being named a finalist for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. “We are excited about this opportunity and our commitment to continue to work with members of the community college system in Alabama to ensure that we are developing the workforce not just for today, but for tomorrow. I think it is great that we have embraced this opportunity and are providing educational opportunities for students all across Alabama.”

The agreement allows Wallace State students to seamlessly transfer to bachelor’s degree programs in Early Childhood Education at UWA after completing their studies at Wallace State. UWA will waive application fees for WSCC students participating in the program.

Additionally, employers participating in our state’s registered apprenticeship in early childhood programs will be able to choose existing employees or hire new apprentices and allow them to receive work experience and job-related education while earning a wage, something Dr. Marcie Robinson, Director of the WSCC Child Development Program is especially excited about.

“That is a key point within this partnership,” Robinson said. “With employers, Alabama’s Office of Apprenticeship and the Alabama Department of Early Childhood working together, students will be able to work within their field of study, getting on-the-job experience, and incurring no out-of-pocket expenses as they complete their education.”

“We are excited that Wallace State students are very familiar with online learning, because we have so many online learning opportunities at the University,” said Dr. Jan Miller, Director of Competency-Based Education and Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program at UWA. “We work primarily with rural schools, and this is a chance for paraprofessionals or high school students to major in early childhood or earn dual certification in elementary and early childhood education, continuing in the workforce while doing online learning.”

Also in attendance were Cullman City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff and Cullman County Schools Superintendent Shane Barnett, both expressing interest in the opportunities the partnership can provide for their students and the impact it can have on providing the systems with trained educators.

Wallace State’s Child Development program offers stackable short-term certificates that can be completed in one semester, a certificate that can be completed in three semesters, an associate’s degree that can be completed in four semesters. All courses are available online.