Reading, PA – On Monday, September 19, Reading Area Community College (RACC) signed a guaranteed transfer agreement with Muhlenberg College in the River Room of the Yocum Library on the RACC campus.

RACC and the Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies entered into a program-to-program agreement for RACC students planning to transfer to Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies Accelerated Degree Programs. RACC graduates with an Associate in Arts Degree, Associate in Science Degree or Associate in Applied Science Degree in a major aligned with one of Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies Accelerated Degree Programs. A RACC student admitted with an earned associate's degree in one of the designated curriculums will be able to complete a bachelor's degree in a parallel program at the School of Continuing Studies within 22 months.

"We are celebrating today a new agreement with Muhlenberg College’s, which will open many new doors of opportunity for our graduates. This pathway is the result of great cooperation and collaboration between faculty and deans of our respective institutions and will serve well both the needs of our institutions and, more importantly, those of our students," says Reading Area Community College President, Dr. Susan Looney.

In addition, students who are admitted under this agreement will be eligible to receive $1,500 per academic year. Current members of Phi Theta Kappa at RACC at their time of transfer will be eligible to receive an additional $500 per academic year.

"The new admissions agreement between Reading Area Community College and Muhlenberg College will expand access to our College's transformative education for Pennsylvania students. This partnership will provide a direct pathway to a Muhlenberg degree for the talented graduates of RACC programs," says Muhlenberg College President Kathleen Harring.

"The availability of student scholarships when transferring a RACC associate degree to Muhlenberg College's bachelor's degree program makes access to a continuing education easier and will reduce the financial burden for our qualified transferring students," says RACC Director of Academic Partnerships, Kristen M. Marcinko.

To learn more about the transfer agreement, or for more information about other transfer opportunities, contact Leora Chernesky at 610.372.4721 x5106, or visit Transfer Services.

About Reading Area Community College
Reading Area Community College is an accredited, comprehensive, open-enrollment education institution that provides associate degree, certificate, and diploma programs, career-focused training, transitional coursework, skills training for business and industry, personal enrichment programs, and public service activities. Sponsored by Berks County, the college provides affordable access to meet identified community educational needs.    

About Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania
Muhlenberg College aims to develop independent critical thinkers who are intellectually agile, characterized by a zest for reasoned and civil debate, committed to understanding the diversity of the human experience, able to express ideas with clarity and grace, committed to lifelong learning, equipped with ethical and civic values and prepared for lives of leadership and service.

The College is committed to providing an intellectually rigorous education within the context of an inclusive and diverse campus; we strongly believe that diversity is essential to learning and to our success as a pluralistic community. Our curriculum integrates the traditional liberal arts with selected preprofessional studies. Our faculty are passionate about teaching, value close relationships with students and are committed to the pedagogical and intellectual importance of research.

Reading, Pa. – August 16, 2022 – Alvernia University and Reading Area Community College (RACC) have introduced an expanded dual admissions transfer agreement to facilitate the transfer of RACC students to Alvernia’s Baccalaureate Degree Programs.

“RACC is committed to creating academic partnerships, especially in Berks County, that encourage students to complete their associate degree before transferring to a four-year institution,” says Dr. Looney. “Our graduates are highly valued by our college and university partners, and we are excited that President Loyack and Alvernia have committed to a seamless transfer to their bachelor’s degree programs.”

The expanded dual admissions transfer partnership allows students to earn their associate degree at Reading Area Community College and then enroll, with junior standing, at Alvernia University’s main campus in Reading, Pa. or online for other community-based campuses to pursue and complete a bachelor’s degree in two years.

“As a university that is deeply committed to transforming the lives of our students and ensuring we have a high quality workforce, we look forward to working with our downtown Reading neighbor RACC,” said Alvernia University President John R. Loyack. “This agreement will not only provide resources and financial assistance to students to transform lives through training and value-based education at Alvernia but will also foster a natural pipeline of skilled graduates to businesses and organizations in Greater Reading, Berks County and eastern Pennsylvania.”

Traditional residential transfer students that declare dual admission will benefit from annual academic scholarships from Alvernia up to $21,000 to help lower the cost of their education. Students enrolling in accelerated adult bachelor programs are eligible for scholarships up to $2,000. Students have a single point of contact in admissions to assist with their transition and receive several communications prior to their community college graduation. Application fees are also waived for dually enrolled students.

Alvernia's expanded Reading Collegiate Scholars Program (RCSP) with RACC began in 2019 with two full-tuition transfer scholarships for qualified RACC graduates and two additional scholarships were added each year, resulting in a total of six transfer students attending in Fall 2021. Recipients must live in the city of Reading, earned an Associate's Degree from RACC, maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and be enrolled full-time in the day academic division.

“After graduating from RACC, I did not know exactly what my next step was going to be, so when I did hear back from Alvernia there was a sense of relief, especially getting this scholarship,” said Jamal Dancy, 2022 RCSP scholarship recipient. “My only wish is that this experience brings hope into the inner-city kids by seeing someone from the city that looks like them and has been through similar things accomplish something, and that they can do it too if they stay focused.”

Alvernia’s expansion into downtown Reading through the Reading CollegeTowne initiative creates new pathways for students to take courses along the Penn Street corridor. More information on this partnership and application instructions can be found at Alvernia.edu.

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Alvernia University is a Catholic comprehensive university with a liberal arts foundation founded by the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters in 1958. The university serves over 3,000 students in Reading, Pottsville and Philadelphia with a unique blend of rigorous liberal arts education, strong technical training in many high demand majors, ever-expanding experiential learning opportunities through study abroad and internship experiences and community engagement through its Franciscan-based community service model.

Reading Area Community College (RACC) is an accredited, comprehensive, open-enrollment education institution that provides the following: associate degree, certificate and diploma programs; career-focused training; transitional coursework; skills training for business and industry; personal enrichment programs and public service activities. Sponsored by Berks County, the college provides affordable access to meet identified community educational needs.

Reading, PA – Reading Area Community College, Lehigh Carbon Community College and Northampton Community College have formed a partnership that provides an opportunity for students in surrounding counties to complete an Associate’s degree in Histotechnology. In the agreement, students enroll in the Histotechncian Program at their local community college to complete their preclinical general education requirements; then finish the program at Reading Area Community College, paying Berks County tuition rates. The program consists of online courses and three in-person practicums at clinical sites in Berks and surrounding counties. 
 
Histotechnicians study cellular structures and their reactions with various stains using light microscopes while learning about the use of other microscope types and their testing requirements. Technicians process the tissues to prepare slides for various tests used in pathology to aid in proper diagnoses. 

“Histotechnicians play a critical role in the healthcare arena as they are skilled professionals in a laboratory setting. The future for employment is excellent and there is a critical need for well-trained histotechnicians locally, as well as throughout the country,” says RACC Professor/Program Director of Medical Laboratory Technician & Histotechnician Programs, Alayne Fessler.  

Histotechnicians can earn up to an average salary of $61,000-plus. It is a promising and rapidly growing field in which graduates can enjoy a long and successful career. Today, there are more jobs for Histologic Technicians than there are well-trained, qualified professionals to fill those positions. 

“Career opportunities in healthcare are growing in our area, and Lehigh Carbon Community College is honored to be able to provide this additional career path to our students,” says Lehigh Carbon Community College President Dr. Ann D. Bieber. “This partnership among the three community colleges demonstrates our collective commitment to student success and provides trained healthcare professionals to our respective regions.” 

“We are partnering with Reading Area Community College in a cooperative agreement so the Northampton Community College students can take their general education courses at Northampton and then apply for transfer to the Medical Lab Technician or the Histotechnician program. Both are greatly needed in our laboratories. It has been a great partnership,” says Northampton Community College Dean of Allied Health and Sciences, Judith Rex. 

To learn more about the RACC Histotechnician Program, visit racc.edu/academics/histotechnician, or call 610.372.4721 ext. 5428.

Reading, PA – Reading Area Community College (RACC) is providing significantly reduced tuition rates to their students who take the Dual Enrollment courses. 

Dual enrollment, or early college, is used by high school students to explore college options and earn college credit prior to high school graduation. Increasingly popular among eligible high school students, these programs allow secondary students to enroll in postsecondary coursework and receive both college and high school credit simultaneously…at a reduced cost. One Berks County school district experiencing the benefits of RACC Dual Enrollment programs is the Muhlenberg School District.

Muhlenberg High School Principal, Mike Mish, sees the benefits of dual enrollment. “It allows and affords many of our students to get a jumpstart on earning college credits. We have worked hard to provide students with as many opportunities as possible to continue to advance their education. Our partnership with RACC has been amazing. The faculty and staff at RACC have been such a wonderful resource to us at Muhlenberg and we look forward to many more years working together. We have the most students and courses being taken since our partnership with RACC has started.” In some cases, there is no tuition charge for high school students participating in the dual-enrollment program through the Foundation for RACC’s DE Scholarship Program. 

“By taking a college course at their own high school, students learn to challenge themselves academically and gain valuable experience in preparation for college,” says RACC Assistant Director of Early College Programs Kristen Marcinko. “Through the Foundation for RACC, many Dual Enrollment students are awarded no-cost tuition for the program.” One standout Muhlenberg High School student who is taking advantage of the RACC Dual Enrollment opportunity this semester is senior Rowan Korinn Crammer. After graduation, Rowan will be enrolled in the Chemical Engineering Honors Program at Drexel University. She feels fortunate to have gone through the RACC DE program. “The program set me up for success, and helped me feel very prepared for college. Almost all my credits will transfer, and I was able to save a significant amount of money as well,” she says.

Rowan is a second-generation RACC student. Her mother, Jennifer Koch, is a distinguished 2010 RACC graduate, who received the Eugene Shirk Scholarship to Albright College, then continued to Drexel University for her Master’s in Library Science and Archival Studies. She is currently the Archivist at Bethany Children’s Home.

 “The benefits of Dual Enrollment are essentially college credits at a discounted rate and the ability to take a class that could be challenging with the full supports available at the high school level that aren't as readily available at the post-secondary level; such as seeing the teacher every day,” says Muhlenberg High School Math Dual Enrollment instructor, Justin Vallone. 

Now is the time to sign up for classes in your high school, for next school year, that offer dual enrollment. Muhlenberg High School Counselor, Melissa Work, promotes Dual Enrollment within her district. “Our families are very appreciative and excited to participate in RACC's dual enrollment program. We ensure that our families are aware of this wonderful opportunity prior to scheduling courses, so every student can participate.” 

To learn more about the Dual Enrollment program at RACC, contact Assistant Director of Early College Programs, Kristen Marcinko at kmarcinko@racc.edu or 610.372.4721 x5127.

Reading, PA, Tuesday, October 19, 2021 – Reading Area Community College (RACC) President Dr. Susan D. Looney and Albright College President Dr. Jacquelyn S. Fetrow, signed a transfer agreement that will offer guaranteed admission to Albright College for RACC graduates to pursue their bachelor’s degrees.

The guaranteed admission and seamless transfer agreement between RACC and Albright College will provide an affordable pathway through select associate degree programs to parallel bachelor’s degrees. This agreement provides guaranteed admission and junior standing for all RACC graduates of A.A. and A.S. programs, as well as select A.A.S. programs. In addition, Albright College will provide many robust scholarship opportunities for RACC graduates, including one full scholarship. In addition, a reverse transfer agreement will offer RACC students who have earned a minimum of 15 credits, but who enter Albright College before completing their associate degree, an opportunity to transfer Albright credits back to RACC to earn an associate degree.

“RACC is committed to creating academic partnerships, especially in Berks County, that encourage students to complete their associate degree before transferring to a four-year institution,” says Dr. Looney. “Our graduates are highly valued by our college and university partners, and we are excited that Dr. Fetrow and Albright College have committed to a seamless transfer to their bachelor’s degree programs.”

“At Albright, transfer students will expand their horizons within an academically talented community that comes from more than 25 states and a dozen countries. And they’ll benefit from nationally-recognized proactive support — academic, social and financial — all resources crucial for their success,” said Fetrow. “My goal, and the goal of all of us at Albright College, is to guide these students to exceed their own expectations.”

Reading Area Community College is an accredited, comprehensive, open-enrollment education institution that provides associate degree and certificate programs with ten programs offered fully online; workforce and career-focused training; transitional coursework; personal enrichment programs and public service activities. Sponsored by Berks County, the College provides affordable access to meet identified community educational needs. 

Named a top national college by Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education and U.S. News & World Report, Albright College (founded 1856) is home to a diverse community of learners cultivating integrity, curiosity, connection and resilience. The college's flexible curriculum encourages students to combine and cross majors to create individualized academic programs. Close faculty mentorship and numerous experiential learning options create opportunities for Albright graduates to exceed their own expectations. Located in Reading, Pa., Albright is home to undergraduate students, adult learners and graduate students.