Classroom Technology, 'Smart Ag Lab' and Newman University's New Garden City Satellite Campus to Be Completed
Wichita, Kansas, March 28, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, Newman University announced Newman High School, a comprehensive effort to bring bachelor's degree programs and cutting-edge technology to underserved communities in southwest Kansas. We learned that we will receive $1.2 million for the Educational Access for Western Kansas Initiative. This program will benefit all students who enroll in the new agribusiness-focused program.
Southwest Kansas is in dire need of higher education opportunities. Currently, southwest Kansas is considered an “educational desert,” meaning there are no institutions offering four-year degrees within a 100-mile radius of Garden City and Dodge City. Approximately 500 students graduate from Garden City High School each year, but only 40 percent of them earn an associate's degree. Only a fraction of those students currently earn a bachelor's degree. After extensive research and review of the American Council on Education's research on the phenomenon of “place-bound students,” many students do not leave home to attend school due to employment needs or family obligations. is clear.
This initiative partners Newman University with Garden City Community College, Dodge City Community College, and Seward County Community College to address these statistics and meet the needs of students in southwest Kansas, where they live. provide an opportunity. Students can now earn an associate's degree through their respective community college and then seamlessly transition into a bachelor's degree program at Newman University. Courses are taught in on-site community college classrooms and taught by Newman faculty with a strong tradition of serving a diverse student population. Without this program, many of these students may not be able to pursue higher education.
These funds will go towards classroom technology that enables in-person and hybrid learning, further encouraging the participation of ambitious students who are also working adults in the program. “Smart Ag Labs” will be set up at selected locations throughout the region to provide students with hands-on learning experiences. The Agriculture Lab allows students to learn about data analysis, productivity improvement, and precision farming using the latest agricultural techniques. Newman University also plans to renovate a new satellite office in Garden City that will serve as a space for students to meet with administration to discuss higher education pathways.
Newman will bring a variety of bachelor's degree opportunities to community colleges in southwest Kansas. Nursing, Education, Business, and Agribusiness are currently available at Garden City Community College, Dodge City Community College, and Seward County Community College campuses and are enrolling students for summer and fall 2024.
These programs will greatly benefit the entire Southwest Kansas community as higher education will focus on curriculum that directly reflects local business needs. Students also have the opportunity to participate in on-the-job learning experiences, partnering with industry leaders and gaining an experience unlike any other higher education institution in the state.
Agribusiness is one of the most unique courses offered because it allows students to experience first-hand how new technologies are transforming agricultural production into an industry based on the Internet of Things. Students who earn a bachelor's degree through the Agribusiness program are prepared to meet the industry's growing production demands. Southwest Kansas is home to industry leaders and world changers, and students in a new agribusiness program will pave the way for important industry transitions.
Additional information about currently offered degree programs, admissions and scholarship opportunities can be found at gcccnewman.com.
About Newman:
Founded in 1933, Newman University is grounded in Catholic values and traditions, but respects traditions of all faiths. At Newman, you'll find people, programs, organizations, and activities designed to educate the mind and stimulate the spirit.
The main campus is located in Wichita, Kansas, with outreach sites in Southeast Kansas, Southwest Kansas, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Newman is a ministry sponsored by Worshipers of the Blood of Christ in the United States region.
About GCCC:
Founded in 1919, Garden City Community College (GCCC) has been serving the public longer than any other community college in Kansas. GCCC is the senior leader in community college education in Kansas, with a tradition of preparing people of all ages from diverse backgrounds to succeed in life and careers.
GCCC's mission is to help each student actively contribute to the economic and social well-being of society. GCCC provides opportunities for every individual through our shared vision of being the premier educational nexus for advancement and world-class learning in a dynamic environment. From here you can go anywhere.
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