The University of Arkansas East Arkansas Community College (UA-EACC) and the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) announced a new bachelor's degree partnership Thursday. The institutions will collaborate to bring a Bachelor of Arts in K-6 elementary education degree to Forrest City beginning in the fall of 2025, pending approval from the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Higher Learning Commission.

Students will be able to complete all four years of the degree on the UA-EACC campus, starting as UA-EACC students for the first two years before enrolling as UAM students for their junior and senior years. The campus-within-a-campus partnership also includes a new Delta Dragon Transfer Scholarship to assist students in completing their baccalaureate degree.

Dr. Peggy Doss, chancellor of UAM, stated, "We are excited to announce our new campus-within-a-campus partnership with UA-EACC. This collaboration effectively meets Arkansas' workforce education needs by providing highly qualified teachers across the state, a cornerstone to ensuring every child's educational needs are met."

"We wanted to partner with the best. UAM's innovation, cost-effectiveness and, most of all, their track record of providing high-quality instruction and strong student support make them the leader in bringing bachelor's degrees to students where they live," said Dr. Cathie Cline, chancellor of UA-EACC.

Dr. Doss added, "This partnership will allow UA-EACC students to earn an accessible four-year degree from UAM at one of the most affordable rates in the state, thanks to the Delta Dragon Transfer Scholarship. We are proud to work with UA-EACC to serve the needs of the region's public schools and showcase the benefits of cooperation between our two Arkansas higher education institutions. We look forward to many future collaborations."

To qualify for the Delta Dragon Transfer Scholarship, worth $3,000 per semester, students must complete 55 credit hours and maintain a 2.5 grade-point average.

Students will pay UA-EACC tuition rates for the first two years of coursework and UAM tuition rates for their junior and senior years of coursework. Participants will have access to resources and services from both institutions and will receive an associate degree diploma from UA-EACC and a bachelor's degree diploma from UAM upon graduation.

The announcement occurred on the UA-EACC campus Thursday in the Fine Arts Center as part of the college's Concurrent Credit Convocation, where both Dr. Cline and Dr. Doss delivered remarks.