KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Today the presidents of Oregon Institute of Technology (Oregon Tech) and Klamath Community College (KCC) strengthened their institutional partnership by signing an agreement to promote college access, affordability, and bachelor’s degree completion for Air Force personnel enrolled through Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) at KCC.
Oregon Tech President Dr. Nagi Naganathan and KCC President Dr. Roberto Gutierrez signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the newly formed Base to Bachelor’s (B2B) program. This new partnership between Oregon Tech and KCC is designed to promote college access, affordability, and bachelor’s degree completion for Airmen seeking their CCAF degree. CCAF is a regionally-accredited, federally-chartered academic institution that serves the United States Air Force and Space Force's enlisted total force. Students who are enrolled in CCAF or have earned a CCAF degree can leverage their college credits to complete a General Studies degree from KCC and transfer credits to Oregon Tech, with no loss of credit, to earn a bachelor’s degree in Technology and Management in as little as two years at the Klamath Falls or Portland-Metro campus, or fully online.
“While there has always been activity and coordination between our two institutions, we continue to look for ways to elevate the beneficial impact on our community – in this case it would mobilize more student transfers and create more success pathways for them,” said Dr. Naganathan. “The staff and faculty at Oregon Tech and KCC took that charge and made it a reality, and I am proud that their efforts are now advancing an initiative to help achieve greater outreach to military-affiliated programs. I also look forward to air personnel at Kingsley Field who are enrolled in Community College of the Air Force using this program to better their educational opportunities without having to leave Klamath County.”
The program includes multiple levels of advising support to help students pay for college, continue their studies, and complete a bachelor’s degree in a timely manner. While participating in the B2B program, KCC students will have access to advising from KCC and Oregon Tech and utilize scholarships and incentive programs offered by the institutions.
“The degrees offered in the Base to Bachelor’s program will help any Airman in the mid-grades who wants to advance, whether he or she chooses to remain in the service or not,” said Dr. Gutierrez. “This new collaboration with Oregon Tech will make career advancement more attainable for those serving our country anywhere around the world. We look forward to working with servicemen and women who want to improve their lives through higher education.”
Participating students must pursue a General Studies associate degree at KCC and be enrolled in the B2B program, with a commitment to transfer to Oregon Tech to earn a bachelor’s degree in Technology and Management. The pilot cohort begins fall 2020. For more information, contact Oregon Tech transfer outreach coordinator, Corinne Graves at corinne.graves@oit.edu, or KCC military outreach, Tracy Heap at heap@klamathcc.edu.
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About Oregon Institute of Technology
Founded in Klamath Falls in 1947, Oregon Institute of Technology is the premier polytechnic institution in Oregon. Offering bachelor’s, master’s and soon a doctoral degree, Oregon Tech has exceptional programs in engineering, health technologies, business, technology, communication, and applied sciences that prepare students to be effective participants in their professional, public, and international communities through applied, relevant learning and professional practice. Oregon Tech has a central, residential campus in Klamath Falls; an urban, industry-focused campus in Portland-Metro (Wilsonville); an online campus; and offers degrees at Boeing Seattle and at other sites. Visit www.oit.edu to learn more about Oregon Institute of Technology.
About Klamath Community College
Klamath Community College is the youngest community college in Oregon. Since its inception in 1996, KCC has become a leader in open access higher education and workforce development. KCC provides accessible, quality education and services in response to the diverse needs of the student, business, and community. In the 2019-20 academic year, KCC served more than 6,000 students. KCC offers 44 certificates, 39 degrees, and is committed to preparing graduates for a global, more technologically sophisticated job market. For more information, visit www.klamathcc.edu.
