Lamar University expands access to higher education through partnership with Lamar State College Orange

Published 1:57 pm Saturday, August 10, 2019

To The Leader

 

Lamar University and Lamar State College-Orange have formalized an articulation agreement to better serve the needs of students interested in pursuing bachelor’s degrees.

Lamar University President Kenneth Evans and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs James Marquart and Lamar State College-Orange President Thomas A. Johnson and Executive Vice President and Provost Al Barringer signed an agreement on the Lamar University campus Tues., Aug. 6, creating innovative 2+2 programs allowing students to easily transfer to Lamar University to pursue four-year degrees after completing a two-year associate degree at Lamar State College-Orange.

“We’re committed to making transfer students successful, because at the end of the day if we make this partnership successful, we meet the needs of the community – the Golden Triangle,” said Evans. “More importantly, we meet the needs of one student at a time, which is really what this is all about.”

The agreement furthers a partnership held between the two institutions by granting Lamar State College-Orange students with associate degrees full access to Lamar University online bachelor degree programs specific to their associate degrees. 

All the LU programs offered are fully online and allow the student to complete studies without leaving home.

“We have a great partnership with LU and have for many years but this allows us to expand it, and we will be able to create new programs now so they (students) can come to us and literally get their first two years at Lamar State College-Orange and then come to Lamar University,” said Johnson. “We can prepare them so that when they come here they will be successful. This is more than an agreement, this is a partnership.” 

The agreement between Lamar University and Lamar State College-Orange also signifies steps toward establishing Lamar Link, a joint partnership program that provides first-time college students with comprehensive support from both institutions. Lamar Link, already established with Lamar Institute of Technology, offers affordability, access and the eventual opportunity to enroll at Lamar University. 

The articulation agreement is just one of a dozen agreements Lamar University will be formalizing with Texas community colleges in the coming months to increase access to four-year degrees through 2+2 online programs.