Agreement signed between Linn State Technical College and Lincoln University
Two Mid-Missouri colleges are trying to help you get your degree faster. Linn State Technical College and Lincoln University signed an agreement that would allow students with an associate degree in computer technology at Linn State to get financial assistance for a bachelor’s degree at Lincoln. Lincoln University is getting a $1-million grant to make this possible.
This is going to serve a total of about 130 students. Governor Jay Nixon says by the time these students get their bachelors degree at Lincoln, they will be ready to contribute in the real world immediately. They claim local businesses are clamoring for people qualified in information technology.
Nixon says the state’s economy is getting better by the month. With this agreement between Lincoln University and Linn State it should help that trend continue.
“They’ll be able to continue to move forward more quickly by articulating between these two organizations we can literally accelerate careers for jobs that exist and will exist in the near future here,” Nixon says.
When students get their computer technology associates degree at Linn State, they have the opportunity to get a bachelors degree at Lincoln University. They could even get up to $7,500 in assistance. Local business leaders believe this is not only a big opportunity for students, but for their businesses too.
“As business partners, we’ve been working with the schools to try to define the hiring needs and the skill sets that we need in the area for our businesses,” one of the business partners, Jill Hansen tells ABC 17 News.
College leaders say this should pay dividends for the local economy.
“Our students learn locally and stay local to provide our local business with a qualified workforce in information technology,” Lincoln University Interim President Dr. Connie Hamacher says.
High school students also have a chance to participate in the program. They can get dual credits in computer technology and move through the college programs faster. Jefferson City, Helias, Fatima, Osage County schools are all participating.
