Northwest-Shoals and UNA partner to make transfer seamless and more affordable for students

Currently, Northwest-Shoals Community College sends close to 200 students to the University of North Alabama annually and is the largest community college transfer institution for UNA.

Starting this fall, UNA and NW-SCC will have a signed agreement to offer joint admissions and financial aid services to students, a 20 percent tuition scholarship to NW-SCC students transferring to UNA, and a Bridge Transfer Program that qualifies students to start at NW-SCC and transition to UNA after successfully completing 24 credit hours at NW-SCC.

NW-SCC President Glenda Colagross and UNA President Ken Kitts will meet Friday morning (3/15) to sign the partnership agreement.

“This is a new day for the partnership between Northwest-Shoals Community

College and the University of North Alabama,” said Colagross. “Our institutions are so much stronger together, and I hope this agreement shows how dedicated we are to working together for the success of our students.”

With this new agreement, NW-SCC students on the Shoals and Phil Campbell campus will benefit from a UNA transfer advisor located at NW-SCC. Due to proximity, the advisor will primarily be based on the Shoals campus. The advisor will help interested and eligible students transition seamlessly to UNA.

“The University of North Alabama is delighted to partner once again with

Northwest-Shoals Community College in an effort to help students achieve their academic goals,” added Kitts. “Higher education institutions must continue to look for creative ways to meet the educational needs of the student population. UNA is fully dedicated to that effort.”

Other student benefits and requirements include:

• NW-SCC and UNA students taking a minimum of three credit hours at each institution can take advantage of the joint admissions and financial aid services agreement. This agreement offers students the ability to receive federal aid from UNA while also being enrolled as a student at NW-SCC.
• NW-SCC students transferring to UNA can receive a 20 percent tuition scholarship by maintaining a grade point average (GPA) between 2.50-2.99 if they do not qualify for either community college or Phi Theta Kappa scholarships.
• The Bridge Transfer Program will offer students needing additional preparation prior to enrolling at UNA a seamless pathway to UNA. Qualifying students must enroll at NW-SCC as a first-time freshman and complete 24 credit hours of transferable coursework with a minimum of a 2.0 GPA.

For more detailed information on the partnership, please contact NW-SCC Assistant Dean of Student Success, Dr. Crystal Reed, at cingle@nwscc.edu or UNA Chief Enrollment Officer and Assistant to President for Diversity, Ron Patterson, at rpatterson1@una.edu.