Heartland, Millikin sign reverse transfer agreement

[August 19, 2016]  NORMAL - Heartland Community College and Millikin University have announced a reverse transfer agreement that will benefit students who transfer from HCC to Millikin before earning their associate degree. Heartland President Rob Widmer and Millikin Provost Jeff Aper signed the agreement prior to the HCC board of trustees meeting on Tuesday, August 16.

Reverse transfer is for students who elect to transfer from a community college to a baccalaureate degree-granting institution prior to completing their associate degree. Most likely, these students will complete the course work needed for their associate degree after transferring to the four-year institution. Reverse transfer agreements allow those transfer students to receive the degree they have earned.

Under Heartland and Millikin’s agreement, Millikin’s registrar will contact university students who have earned 30 or more hours from Heartland but have not been awarded a degree. Millikin will offer to transmit each student’s transcripts to Heartland at the end of each semester at no cost to the student. Heartland will then conduct a degree audit. If the student has met the requirements for the associate degree, HCC’s staff will award the degree, also at no cost to the student.

Overall, the agreement offers a big benefit to students. “Often, the associate degree is viewed as the first two years of earning a bachelor’s degree,” said Dr. Rick Pearce, vice president for learning and student success at HCC. “However, something in life may happen where the student is unable to complete their bachelor’s. This agreement provides security so students know they have something to show when they go out into the workforce.”

“This partnership will better serve Heartland students who decide to further their education at Millikin,” added Millikin University President Dr. Patrick White. “Heartland and Millikin benefit from this agreement because our students are able to gain and utilize the full credit for learning at both institutions. We all get stronger when our students prosper.”

Students wanting more information on reverse transfer can contact Millikin’s Office of the Registrar at 217-424-6217 or visit millikin.edu/registrar. Heartland’s Advising department can be reached at 309-268-8033 or [e-mail].

[Becky Gropp, Heartland Community College]