KapCC signs agreement with Pacific University

 

 

Jan. 22 marked the day that Chancellor Leon Richards signed into effect a matriculation agreement with Pacific University. This bridge will allow KapCC students in good academic standing to seamlessly matriculate into our new sister university upon graduating with their associate’s degree.

The agreement ensures guaranteed acceptance based on coursework completed, and eliminates the need for the traditional application procedure. According to the administrators in attendance at the signing, this agreement should save time, money, and alleviate much of the stress associated with the transfer process, allowing students to carry over the momentum and fluidity of their previous semester and truly hit the ground running upon entering Pacific.

With one-fifth of the student body at Pacific made up of Hawai‘i residents you’d be hard pressed to find someone within our academic circle that hasn’t heard their name somewhere or another. Lesley Hallick, president of this liberal arts university a half hour from Portland, envisions the ties between them and our archipelago growing even stronger in the years to come.

At a glance, several things really stick out about Pacific University. The first being their huge selection of undergraduate majors. From business to biology, dance to computer science, this liberal arts college caters to the curious and inspired. Also boasting a range of degrees from bachelor to doctorate, Pacific grants their students an advantage in that one can set their sites, not just a couple steps down the road with their undergraduate pursuits, but navigate a path leaning towards an academic future with raduate and doctoral programs, all with the same small class sizes we have here at KapCC.

Second, the landscape of the Pacific Northwest offers many opportunities for the hiking, biking, and plenty more of those outdoorsy things people in Hawai‘i tend to gravitate to. Surf on waves or snow. Hike to the top of cascading waterfalls, or try cross-country skiing with the Outback Club on campus.

Finally, there are ample undergraduate research opportunities, which provide a chance for professors and students to work together on real world issues. Students partner with a faculty member of their discipline, and proceed with projects ranging anywhere from stress signals in the brain, to the impacts of hydropower on the nearby Columbia River. Summer grants and working stipends are also available for students interested in furthering their research. Additionally, Pacific holds an academic conference every year providing students a place to showcase their findings and results.

So if you’re looking for a home away from home to finish your education, and are interested in a place where you can find many of the same comforts as you’ve come to count on here in the islands, Pacific University might be the next step on your journey. From academics to exploration, current issues to ancient history, Pacific is offering students a chance to expand their horizons and broaden their worldview.