KSC is aiming to create “seamless transfer pathways” starting with River Valley Community College and through a planned partnership with Antioch University at the graduate level. “We hope that together we will build new programs and provide easier transfer pathways for community college students into Keene State,” President Melinda Treadwell remarked at the Feb. 13 State of the College address.
Treadwell explained that the college would start working with River Valley Community College first due to their campus’ physical proximity to Keene State. In addition to KSC’s talks with River Valley, Treadwell also said that she was in discussions with Nashua Community College President Lucille Jordan about a shared desire for students to stay in New Hampshire throughout their time in higher-education.
Treadwell recalled Jordan telling her, “Why are students not all transferring to Keene State? You’re the liberal arts college, why aren’t we working closer to make sure our students don’t go to UMass Lowell, that they come to Keene State, how can we do that?” Treadwell attributed the conversation to Keene State’s willingness to talk with community colleges in the state about working together.
Treadwell also went into further detail about the state of discussions with Antioch University regarding partnership between the two institutions. “We are about to sign next-level agreements with Antioch about the ways for them to, like River Valley, use facilities on our campus, but help us think about pathways into their graduate programs that should be built,” she stated.
Treadwell previously served as the Provost at Antioch University.
In a letter of intent from late September 2022 sent to the University System of New Hampshire, Antioch University laid out plans for the graduate school to construct a new campus. The proposal, if approved, would replace Monadnock and Randall Halls with a 40,000-50,000 square foot instructional space. The proposed campus would also connect with Blake House. Antioch University is currently located at 40 Avon St. in Keene.
Read more next week for more information.
Nathan Hope can be contacted at
nhope@kscequinox.com
