Nichols & MWCC Launch "A to B" Business Program

(L to R) Presidents Daniel M. Asquino and Debra M. Townsley

Nichols College and Mount Wachusett Community College
Launch "A to B" Business Program
for Students Seeking a Bachelor's in Business Administration

Nichols College President Debra M. Townsley and Mount Wachusett Community College President Daniel M. Asquino have established an "Associate's to Bachelor's" Business Program ("A to B") to begin in fall 2008. The joint business program combines the benefits of an MWCC associate's degree with the advantages of a Nichols bachelor's degree.

Presidents Townsley and Asquino signed the new program agreement during a brief ceremony on Wednesday, March 26 at MWCC's Gardner campus.
Under the agreement, MWCC students who enroll in the "A to B" Business Program will be jointly admitted to Nichols. After earning an associate's degree in business at MWCC, students will complete a third year of business coursework at MWCC, then transfer all 90 credits - equal to three years - to Nichols College and pursue a bachelor of science in business administration degree in their fourth year. Program flexibility is a significant advantage to the student, as fourth-year coursework taught by Nichols professors can be completed on the MWCC campus, on Nichols' campus in Dudley, or through Nichols' online program. Students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or higher while enrolled in the program.

Students enrolled in the A to B business program will save money by completing their third year of studies at MWCC. Further, there are significant career benefits associated with being a Nichols graduate. One in 10 Nichols alumni is a president, CEO, or business owner, and 96 percent of the class of 2007 was employed within six months of graduation with an average annual salary of $39,500.

"We are delighted to partner with Nichols College to provide this new opportunity for our business students," said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. "This agreement offers our students a seamless path to a highly regarded Nichols College business degree, at a tremendous cost savings." The "A to B" agreement with Nichols is one of several new "3 plus 1" articulation agreements MWCC is developing with four-year colleges and universities to provide students with more options for pursuing a baccalaureate degree.

Nichols President Townsley added: "The agreement complements Nichols' mission to transform students into tomorrow's business leaders. We are immensely pleased that a MWCC business graduate now has an opportunity to become a Nichols College graduate."

Students interested in learning more about the program may contact the admissions office at Mount Wachusett, (978) 630-9110 or the admissions office at Nichols, (508) 213-2150.

Mount Wachusett and Nichols College are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., a nongovernmental, nationally-recognized organization. In addition, Nichols College's Associate of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Masters in Business Administration are accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.

For more information on the "A to B" Business Program, please contact, Nancy Greenlaw, associate director of transfer services at Mount Wachusett Community College, (978) 630-9321 or ngreenlaw@mwcc.mass.edu or Rayanne Drouin, director of enrollment services for graduate & professional studies at Nichols College at (508) 213-2150 or rayanne.drouin@nichols.edu.

MWCC student and working mom Chezelle Rodriguez of Gardner, Mass., plans to be the first to enroll in the "A to B" program.