South Plains College, Texas Tech University enters new agreement for transfer students

 

LEVELLAND – In an effort to ensure the success of transfer students, South Plains College and Texas Tech University are entering a new agreement that will be beneficial to both institutions. 

 

Texas Tech is currently the primary four-year institution for SPC’s transfer students. The university benefits by receiving junior level students with proven academic success. Under the new agreement, South Plains College will benefit by increasing its student populations with people from the Metroplex, Houston and Austin areas that would normally attend Texas Tech and are presented with an alternative pathway through SPC.   

 

The agreement will be signed by Dr. Robin Satterwhite, president of South Plains College, and

 

Dr. Lawrence Schovanec, president of Texas Tech, at 2 p.m.. Wednesday (Jan. 17) in the Student Services Mall area at SPC. 

 

“Through this agreement, Texas Tech will identify South Plains College as a direct pathway for students to get into Texas Tech,” Dr. Satterwhite said. 

 

Presently, students who do not receive guaranteed admission into Texas Tech are notified by letter. The goal is that beginning in fall 2018, the letters will direct students to a landing page, tentatively identified as Destination Raiderland, which will encourage them to complete their associate’s degree at SPC and then transfer directly to Texas Tech. 

 

According to Dr. Ryan Gibbs, vice president for Academic Affairs, “We are happy to continue our excellent work relationship with Texas Tech. We are excited to help Texas Tech meet its transfer goals, and, at the same time, help our students achieve their academic success and reach their goals. Our goal is to be the premiere transfer partner institution for Texas Tech.” 

 

Additionally, Destination Raiderland, will be available to any student who wants an affordable option and a quality education provided at South Plains College, and it will lead to a seamless transfer into Texas Tech University.

 

“We are hoping to build a closer relationship with Texas Tech by setting the foundation which we can build upon,” Dr. Satterwhite said.

 

He said future components that will be addressed through the agreement will be to reduce admission barriers transfer students experience going into the different academic colleges at Texas Tech. Transfer students also will receive a grandfather clause into the same catalog for the academic year as those native Texas Tech students.

 

“We are constantly seeking ways to help students afford higher education and graduate without a lot of debt,” Dr. Satterwhite said.

 

Dr. Satterwhite said the Presidential Scholarships at Texas Tech are awarded to entering first-time freshman who show exceptional academic ability through superior test scores, class ranking and need. At SPC, a student who earns a 3.5 grade-point average and 60 hours is awarded $3,250 per semester for the Proven Achiever Transfer Scholarship at Texas Tech. A Presidential Transfer Scholarship awards $3,000 per semester for a SPC student with 30 hours. This scholarship is need based.

 

“Texas Tech has acknowledged that their growth needs to be in the upper level and graduate level enrollments at the university,” he said. “They need proven achievers – students who have gone to college and have been successful for a couple of years and then step into Texas Tech where they are going to be really high quality upper level students and graduate level students.

 

“It really benefits Texas Tech and it really benefits South Plains College,” he said. “It represents a change in the thought process of what the transfer student means to both institutions.”