Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College (KVCTC) and the University of Charleston (UC) today signed an articulation agreement that allows students from KVCTC’s Paralegal Studies program to transfer into select bachelor’s degree programs at the University of Charleston after those Paralegal Studies students obtain their associate’s degree at KVCTC. The signing took place at KVCTC’s new college facility located in building 2000 of the former Dow Technical Park in South Charleston, West Virginia.
KVCTC’s Paralegal Studies program trains students on how to become valuable, contributing employees in a law office or other legal setting. And, the program provides helpful and extremely relevant instruction for those students who wish to eventually enroll in law school. KVCTC’s Paralegal Studies program features multiple faculty members who are lawyers and also counts an Advanced Certified Paralegal among its faculty. Graduates from KVCTC’s Paralegal Studies program go onto work in both the public and private legal sector.
“The response from students when told of this agreement possibility has been very positive,” said KVCTC President Joseph Badgley. “Many students in paralegal studies and other business fields want to continue their education after they finish at KVCTC. This agreement shows them a bachelor’s degree is within reach and gives them a goal to work toward.”
“We are very happy to sign this articulation agreement today with Kanawha Valley Career & Technical College,” said Dr. Edwin Welch, president of UC. “This partnership is a natural fit. Our proximity makes it easy for high-achieving KVCTC students to continue their college careers through our nationally recognized curriculum and earn a bachelor’s, or even a master’s degree.”
While a person does not currently need a bachelor’s degree to become a paralegal, the 2+2 agreement between KVCTC’s Paralegal Studies program and UC’s Political Science program will allow those students who wish to obtain a 4-year degree in a different subject area to do so after obtaining their 2-year Paralegal Studies degree from KVCTC.
KVCTC Paralegal Studies students who serve in the U.S. Army or Air National Guard and who transfer to UC after first obtaining their 2-year Paralegal Studies Associate Degree from KVCTC will be eligible for the Golden Eagle Scholarship. The scholarship will provide $8,500 per year in tuition assistance, while the State of West Virginia provides a $6,500 educational stipend to National Guard members, and the federal government provides $4,500 per year in tuition assistance to active members of the Army National Guard. The $8,500 in scholarship aid from UC will mean that members of the Army National Guard who graduate from KVCTC’s Paralegal Studies program can attend UC tuition-free.
KVCTC is an extremely affordable public community college which, following the completion of a $15 million construction project, is now located in South Charleston, West Virginia. KVCTC offers a number of business and other degree programs (including Paralegal Studies). KVCTC offers its students numerous opportunities for financial aid. For more information about the KVCTC Paralegal Studies program, please visit KVCTC’s website at www.kvctc.edu or email cgiffin@kvctc.edu.
The University of Charleston is a private, independent college based in Charleston, West Virginia. UC recently announced the opening of new locations in Beckley, W.Va. and Martinsburg, W.Va. The 2012-103 academic year marks UC’s 125th anniversary as an academic institution. For more information about UC, please visit www.ucwv.edu.
