That was the gist of what officials from Henderson Community College and Murray State University said would be the positive effects of a plan announced Monday for the two institutions to join forces on what is often referred to as The Hill.
"Henderson Community College is eager to help launch this new collaborative effort with Murray State University," said Dr. Patrick Lake, the president of HCC. "We have enjoyed our partnership with MSU in the past, and this new venture will enhance the opportunities for our area residents."
Currently, Murray's extended campus in Henderson is located in an annex on the parking lot between North Middle School and the Henderson County school district's central office.
The move to HCC will begin in the first week of August, and Murray will house its extended campus students in HCC's administration building.
"We appreciate Dr. Lake's interest in opening HCC's doors to Murray State," said Dr. Randy Dunn, the president of Murray State University. "With his strong support and the great cooperation of the HCC leadership team, we will be ready to offer classes this fall in our new location."
He said by housing the Murray extension office on the HCC campus, students will receive a seamless pipeline "with no leaks" as they move from the community college system to Murray.
Dunn added that a different location can sometimes be a barrier for students when they decide to continue their education in what is currently referred to as the "Two Plus Two" system.
This means that, typically, students attend their first two years of college at Henderson Community College before moving on to receive their bachelor's degree from Murray State. Some popular programs that see many local graduates from HCC and Murray include elementary education and business administration.
But the move to HCC in August will not just result in a geographical change. Lake and Dunn said officials would work to "review" other programs offered by both schools so that more students could be served in positive ways for themselves and the state. Some new programs may also be established.
Two examples of "Two Plus Two" programs that will be reviewed include industrial maintenance and agriculture technology, Lake said.
Murray will also provide partial funding for a tech support employee who will assist with ITV set-up, network links and other systems for the campus.
"I'm excited," Dunn said. "It will provide a great opportunity for the community and we know it will for us."
Meanwhile, the annex where Murray houses its current extension office will be converted to the new location of the Henderson County Academy, a non-traditional program offered by the Henderson County school district that began in 2007.
The Henderson County school district technology department will also move there.
Henderson County Schools Finance Director Walt Spencer said the academy will hopefully move to the building during fall break, while the technology department will follow in December.
For more information on course offerings through Murray State University Henderson Regional Campus, contact director Mike Freels at 831-5111 or via henderson@murraystate.edu.
