Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
South Texas College and National University (NU), a San Diego-based university specializing in online learning, have signed into a partnership to provide Tuition Discount Scholarships to STC students who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree.
With STC being the only community college in Texas to offer five bachelor’s degrees, this partnership will promote and encourage continued education.
NU is San Diego’s largest private, nonprofit university. It offers more than 190 online and on-campus programs, with flexible four-week and eight-week classes and one-to-one education models designed to help working students reach their academic goals. To date, NU has more than 230,000 alumni worldwide.
“This partnership signing is a significant milestone. This collaboration is a testament to the commitment of both institutions in fostering educational opportunities and supporting student success,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Anahid Petrosian, Ph.D. “The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) we signed establishes a seamless process for STC students who aspire to pursue a master’s degree and promotes life-long learning. We look forward to a future marked with education excellence, collaboration and student success.”
Through this partnership, National University will provide two 25% off Tuition Reduction Scholarships options including a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts to master’s degree scholarship and an Alumni Tuition Reduction Scholarship for recent STC graduates.
To be eligible for the Alumni Tuition Reduction Scholarship, a student must have earned a bachelor’s degree at any point from STC, have a 2.5 grade-point average and must submit a bachelor’s degree transcript within 30 days of applying to National University.
The Tuition Reduction Scholarships can be used to pursue a graduate degree in any of National University’s more than 64 graduate programs.
Additionally, tuition reduction scholarships are also being extended to STC faculty and staff for master’s degree and doctorate degree programs.
NU Vice President of Community College Relations said as Hispanic-Serving Institutions, the partnership between NU and STC share a mission to remove barriers so that non-traditional, working and diverse students can have the best access to quality education.
According to Pew Research Center analysis of the Census Bureau data, Hispanics with advanced degrees accounted for only 8% of all advanced degree holders in the U.S. in 2021, he added.
“National University is excited to expand our presence and outreach in the state of Texas as we look for new opportunities and partnerships to remove barriers, provide seamless transfer pathways and expand access to make higher education a reality for non-traditional students,” said Gerardo de los Santos, Ph.D., vice president of Community College Relations at National University and recent inductee into the American Association of Community College Leadership Hall of Fame. “I look forward to partnering with South Texas College to create accessible — and equitable — pathways for community college students who have completed their bachelor’s degree to continue on their educational journey and pursue master’s degrees at NU.”
Applications are now being accepted and the admission process is year-round.
For more information, on this partnership and opportunity, visit STC’s University Relations, Transfer and Educational Advancement Center at Pecan campus, Building H, room 145, or go to https://academicaffairs.southtexascollege.edu/transfer-center/.
