JBU to provide East Arkansas Community College students with path to bachelor’s degree

John Brown University (JBU) in Siloam Springs and East Arkansas Community College (EACC) in Forrest City have signed an articulation agreement that will provide a path for students to earn an associate degree from the public community college and complete a bachelor’s degree at the private, Christian university.

JBU on Monday (June 10) announced the agreement, which was signed last week.

“We are so very pleased to enter into this partnership with John Brown University in order to provide our students with additional pathways to a bachelor’s degree,” said Michelle Wilson, vice president of EACC. “By adding new transfer options that support a seamless transition to a four-year degree pathway, this agreement will provide opportunities for our students to continue on the path of higher education.”

In the agreement, the schools will help students so that they will not have to retake courses they’ve already completed. Students will be eligible to transfer into any of JBU’s traditional undergraduate programs on campus in Siloam Springs or its online undergraduate programs. EACC graduates with a GPA of 2.5 or higher can enroll in JBU’s traditional undergraduate programs, and those with at least a 2.0 GPA can enroll in JBU’s online programs.

“This agreement represents a new opportunity for JBU to serve the EACC community in Forrest City and the surrounding area through flexible, engaging online education,” said Stacey Duke, dean of online undergraduate programs and strategic initiatives for JBU.

The agreement with EACC has been in the works for about six months, Duke said, adding that JBU’s business development team reached out to the community college. The agreement, which has gone into effect, will be reviewed and updated annually but doesn’t include an end date, she said. JBU also has similar agreements with Carl Albert (Okla.) State College, NorthWest Arkansas Community College, Black River Technical College, Arkansas Rural Nursing Education Consortium, Crowder (Mo.) College, North Arkansas College and Southern Arkansas University Tech. Duke, who oversees JBU’s business development team, started those initiatives.

When asked if the online students would be required to take any courses at the Siloam Springs campus or if it can all be done online, Duke said students have the option to apply for the university’s residential program in Siloam Springs or to any online program, which is 100% online.

EACC, with an enrollment of more than 1,000 students, offers one- and two-year certificates and associate degree programs in the following fields: academic, technical, vocational, allied health and business and industry. It offers general education classes that are transferrable to other state-supported college and universities.

JBU offers more than 40 majors, including programs in engineering, nursing, family and human services, biology, graphic design and construction management, and has more than 2,100 students in traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs.