LINCOLN - Two institutions of higher learning in Nebraska have a new agreement for students in biotechnology fields.

Students who complete an Associate of Science degree in Biotechnology from Southeast Community College will soon have the option to transfer those hours to Nebraska Wesleyan University and pursue a bachelor’s degree.

The schools made it official Wednesday by signing an articulation agreement on SCC’s Lincoln Campus. It is an extension of the two schools’ existing partnership, called SCC Pathways to NWU.

Vice president for instruction at SCC, Dr. Joel Michaelis said the College is excited to provide this opportunity to students in the Biotechnology program. SCC students have benefitted from a longstanding partnership with Nebraska Wesleyan, and now community college students from SCC's biotech program are included.

The agreement provides a course sequence at SCC which will satisfy the requirements for an Associate of Science and will transfer and apply to the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in Biology or a B.S. in Biochemistry or Molecular Biology at Nebraska Wesleyan.

Tracy Niday, SCC Biotechnology program co-chair, says the agreement further strengthens SCC’s commitment to meet the current and future workforce needs of local bioscience companies.

Students in the pathway must have a cumulative grade-point average above 2.0 to be accepted at NWU. A maximum of 64 credit hours from SCC may be accepted for transfer by NWU, and students must complete the pathway coursework with grades of C minus or higher. Students following the requirements of this articulation agreement will receive a guaranteed Pathways Transfer Scholarship at NWU.

Bill Motzer, vice president for enrollment management at Nebraska Wesleyan, says SCC is the only college in Nebraska offering this, and Wesleyan’s strong science program is perfectly aligned for students to advance their education and career.

The agreement takes effect starting with the Fall 2024 semester.