Clarion University is reaching out to students displaced by the Sept. 22 closing of DuBois Business College, as well as students from the former ITT Technical Institute which closed earlier in the month, helping them transfer credits to continue their studies at Clarion. Clarion will waive the application fee and provide dedicated transfer counselors to students displaced by the closures.
"Although we always regret to see students displaced by the closing of other institutions, Clarion University stands ready to help any prospective student who wishes to learn more about how our university can help them to achieve their educational goals and earn deserved credit for their prior learning," said Dr. Todd Pfannestiel, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at Clarion.
Degree offerings at Clarion include a comprehensive suite of credentials in fields ranging from technical studies, the health sciences, education, business and the traditional liberal arts.
Outreach has primarily been at DBC's main campus in DuBois because of its proximity to Clarion, and DBC's Oil City campus because of its proximity to Clarion's Venango campus. The majority of DBC's students are commuters.
"We are sharing information with the (DBC) director that we have online options available," said Hope Lineman, director of marketing at Venango College of Clarion University, who noted that students are already expressing interest in attending Clarion. "Students can do an Associate of Allied Health online. They can do an Associate of Business Administration. There are a lot of online class options."
In addition, the Trade Act provides educational funding for workers who are unemployed as a result of their jobs being exported overseas, such as at Joy Global and General Electric, Lineman said. The student chooses a program which is classified as high priority, meaning jobs in that field are available, and has 130 weeks to complete the program.
"We have (credit) transfer ability for regionally accredited institutions. For institutions that are not accredited, we evaluate prior learning assessment," Lineman said. Clarion works with prospective students to transfer credits earned through previous college credit, through the military or through examinations such as CLEP and DSST, and to translate life experience into credits.
Any student interested in transferring previously earned education credits or experiences to Clarion to pursue credentials ranging from certificates and associate degrees to bachelor's degrees should contact Dana Bearer, associate director of transfer, adult, and graduate admissions at Clarion, 800-672-7171, ext. 1.
"We are doing outreach to let students from both institutions know that we are here to help them realize their educational goals," said Dr. Roxanne Gonzales, executive dean of Venango College of Clarion University. "Our concern is to help these students."
Clarion University is one of five state system institutions working with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to provide information concerning relevant associate degree programs and transfer credit opportunities to former ITT Tech students.