Webster University and Jefferson College Create a Pathway for Students to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology

Photo: Back row (l-r): Jefferson College Vice President of Academic Affairs Chris DeGeare, Webster University Dean of the College of Science and Health Michael Hulsizer, Webster University Chair of the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Stephanie Schroeder, and Webster University Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Thao Dang Williams. Front row (l-r): Jefferson College President Dena McCaffrey and Webster University Vice President of Academic Affairs Nancy Hellerud.

Webster University and Jefferson College signed an agreement on April 15 to make it easier for students in Jefferson College’s Associate of Science in Biology program to transfer into Webster’s Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences programs. 

Under this agreement, Jefferson College students will receive full credit for all the classes they took at Jefferson as part of that institutions’ biology major. The students also will be able to qualify for additional funding through programs at Webster designed to help students from rural areas earn STEM-related degrees.

“This partnership is more than just offering students a clear path to earning a degree, it’s a vision of the future,” said Webster University Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Thao Dang-Williams. “We are giving students a clear and affordable path to earning a biology degree. Many of these students have deep roots in their communities and will take their new STEM-related knowledge and skills back into their communities and make businesses more competitive, which will increase the number of high-wage employees, and will have a greater impact on their families, local retailers, and the regional economy.” 

Under this new agreement, students who completed an associate of science degree in biology at Jefferson College can transfer directly into Webster’s biology programs. From there, they would be able to complete Webster’s program in two years. 

While at Webster, the students also could qualify for additional funding through Webster’s Heartland Promise Scholarship program or through the National Science Foundation’s Winning Approaches for Talented Transfers in STEM (WATTS) grant. 

The Heartland Promise Initiative was launched in 2022 at Jefferson College by Webster University to encourage students to pursue four-year college degrees. Scholarships are awarded to offset the costs of tuition, books, and room and board. The program is designed to address a troubling statistic that is often overlooked when addressing barriers to attaining a college education: rural high school students have a significantly lower acceptance rate to four-year institutions than students in urban areas.

Webster received the nearly $1.2 million WATTS grant in 2021 to create scholarships and support systems to benefit low-income, high-achieving students who transfer from community colleges to complete a four-year STEM degree. That scholarship program runs through 2026.

The agreement was signed during a ceremony at Webster University that was attended by Williams, Webster University Vice President of Academic Affairs Nancy Hellerud, Webster University Dean of the College of Science and Health Michael Hulsizer, Webster University Chair of the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathmatics Stephanie Schroeder, Jefferson College President Dena McCaffrey, and Jefferson College Vice President of Academic Affairs Chris DeGeare. About 50 audience members listened to remarks and watched the signing. A small reception was held afterward.