STCC, AIC announce joint articulation agreement May 26

June 28, 2022 | Matt Conway
mconway@thereminder.com

SPRINGFIELD – Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and American International College (AIC) established a joint articulation agreement on May 26 that will further establish a close academic relationship between the two schools.

The agreement aligns academic programs that enhance the seamless transition of STCC graduates to successful transfer at AIC, according to the college’s joint press release. One of agreement’s facets is the Direct Connect program, which awards STCC transfer students a $4,000 scholarship in addition to their earned merit scholarship before any need-based aid is awarded. AIC also reached a similar agreement with Holyoke Community College on June 23.

President of AIC Hubert Benitez said the agreement is a part of the school’s efforts in expanding the equity of educational systems. Along with the articulation agreement, AIC is also working with local superintendents to facilitate an easier pathway for students seeking higher education after high school.

“[We want] to truly engage with educational systems at various levels, to increase access, to continue to provide opportunity and strengthen the pipeline of students that arrive to AIC. In doing that, we believe AIC will become a very prominent leader in how to open opportunities for students to come into higher education,” said Benitez in an interview with Reminder Publishing.

In regard to the STCC agreement, Benitez stressed the importance of creating a seamless transition model for community college students to continue their education. AIC Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Michael Dodge explained that AIC shares a long-standing partnership with STCC, but the renewal of their partnership offers a set of new initiatives.

Dodge said the college began eliciting internal and external opinions on the agreement in the fall before reaching out to STCC. Dodge and his staff then worked with STCC in building programs that strengthened their partnership.

“We know that folks have come to find a home in Springfield as students of STCC, so we want to help them make an easy transition…We really tried to make sure the agreement meets students where they’re at, provides them an easy access [to AIC] and get them working toward a bachelor’s degree,” said Dodge in an interview with Reminder Publishing.

STCC President John Cook expressed his appreciation for AIC and Benitez.

“I appreciate [Benitez’s] desire to reinvest in how our two institutions collaborate,” said Cook in an interview with Reminder Publishing.

Cook explained that the agreement will benefit students significantly as inflation and college expenses continues to rise. The STCC president also highlighted how the agreement will enhance the community college’s pathways for students to earn a bachelor’s degree.

“If you can start at STCC, save a lot of money and then continue on to AIC, that will be a win for a lot of students and families,” said Cook.

Readers can learn more about AIC and STCC’s agreement at https://www.stcc.edu/about-stcc/news/aic-partners-with-stcc--with-signing-of-articulation-agreement-.html.

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