MGCCC and USA expand educational opportunities

Gordon Moulton, USA president (left), and Dr. Willis Lott, MGCCC president (right), signed a new educational agreement into effect on June 9.

The signing of a new agreement between Gulf Coast and the University of South Alabama only took a moment, but the benefits will last a lifetime for students.

Dr. Willis Lott, president of Gulf Coast, and Gordon Moulton, president of South Alabama, made the new articulation agreement official during a signing ceremony on June 9. Lott said both institutions are dedicated to increasing educational options for students along the Gulf Coast.

“This newest articulation agreement is further testimony to that commitment. USA has always welcomed our students with open arms. And, we greatly appreciate our colleagues at the University of South Alabama who make the extra effort to accommodate the needs of Gulf Coast transfer students,” Lott said.

This agreement provides a detailed path of classes for Gulf Coast students to follow when transferring into one of 52 degree programs offered at USA. The path was carved out by academic officials from each institution and calls for 64 class credits from Gulf Coast and a minimum of 64 class credits to be taken at USA.

"The University of South Alabama is delighted to strengthen what has been a long and successful relationship with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College," USA President Gordon Moulton said. "This continued partnership has grown increasingly important as our institutions look for ways to further enhance educational opportunities for students in our region."

The agreement formalizes a long-standing relationship between both institutions, which are connected by shared county lines and travel along I-10 and Hwy 90. Last year, more than 150 Gulf Coast graduates transferred to USA, with a majority majoring in business or education.

"This agreement is important because it improves the lines of communication between our two institutions and guarantees an easy transition for Gulf Coast students who want to transfer to South Alabama," said Dr. David Stearns, associate vice president for enrollment services at USA.

Lea Fore, an education major from Wiggins, transferred to USA in fall 2003 after completing two years at Gulf Coast. “USA has a good reputation and waives out-of-state tuition. All of my Gulf Coast credits transferred. It was an easy transition,” Fore said.

This is the fifth articulation agreement Gulf Coast has signed with institutions of higher learning in the last 16 months – Tulane’s University College, January 2003; William Carey, April 2003 (Nursing); Franklin University, October 2003; William Carey, January 2004; and University of South Alabama, June 2004.