Baylor, McLennan Community College Announce New Co-Enrollment Program

Representatives from McLennan Community College and Baylor University announced today the creation of the Baylor@MCC Co-Enrollment Program, which will strengthen the ties between the two institutions by offering a formal program for students who will be enrolled at both MCC and Baylor.
Baylor President Ken Starr and MCC President Dr. Johnette McKown signed a memorandum of understanding for a three-year pilot program that will begin in fall 2012.
"It is an honor to celebrate with President McKown today the new Baylor@MCC co-enrollment program," Starr said. "Through this innovative partnership, we will provide students a rich educational experience that draws from the deep wells of faculty expertise and talent on both the MCC and Baylor campuses. I extend my deepest thanks to the many people on both campuses - the advisors, faculty members, students and administrators - who worked together to create a formal program that offers a new opportunity to help meet the rising demand for high quality education in our community. We look forward to welcoming our first students next fall and, through our valued partnership with MCC, helping them successfully achieve their noble goal of a Baylor degree."
The program is for students who first qualify for regular admission to Baylor but cannot be accepted due to space constraints. Students will be offered the option to join Baylor@MCC and enroll at both Baylor and MCC in a distinct Baylor-bound program. Students can enjoy the benefits of being a Baylor student while taking most of their classes at MCC.
"The future and quality of life of our community and state are dependent upon successes of our students of today and tomorrow, so I enthusiastically embrace our new partnership with Baylor University," McKown said. "At McLennan Community College, we believe our role is access to opportunity and support to ensure completion of goals.
"The new partnership with Baylor adds an exciting dimension in an affordable way for those who desire a private, quality education. I am excited that Baylor University and McLennan Community College are collaborating on a project that will be positive for everyone. Both institutions are focused on quality education, and together we will make a difference in the life of our community."
Students will consult with advisors to choose the one-year option, which includes completing at least 18 hours at MCC and six hours at Baylor, or the two-year option, which requires students to complete at least 36 hours at MCC and 12 hours at Baylor. Upon satisfactorily completing the program requirements at MCC, students will then become full Baylor students.
"While we have partnered in various ways with MCC throughout the years, I'm delighted that we will now be able to provide undergraduate students the opportunity to begin at MCC and pursue a degree from Baylor in a streamlined, seamless way," said Dr. Elizabeth Davis, executive vice president and provost at Baylor.
"This effort took a lot of planning and careful thinking on the part of many individuals at both institutions, and I'm so thankful for the collaborative spirit that was displayed," she said. "Once faculty, staff and students from MCC and Baylor began exploring the possibilities, it became clear very quickly that a program like this would be good for the local community, good for students and good for both institutions."
Baylor@MCC students will have access to student services at both institutions, including academic advising, campus facilities, career counseling, counseling services, library, tutoring and athletics. Students will also participate in a joint orientation before beginning the program.

Baylor@MCC
Quick Facts

What is the Baylor@MCC program?
The Baylor@MCC program was created to help meet the rising demand for a Baylor education. Students are co-enrolled at Baylor and McLennan Community College and can enjoy the benefits of being a Baylor student while taking most of their classes at MCC during the first year or two.

How do students apply to the program?
Students do not apply directly to the program. Instead they apply for admission to Baylor following the normal freshman admissions process.

Who is eligible for the program?
Eligible students will be those who apply to Baylor as freshmen. Those who qualify for regular admission to Baylor who cannot be accepted to Baylor due to space constraints will be offered the option of joining the Baylor wait list or the Baylor@MCC co-enrollment program. Offers also may be made to regularly admitted freshmen who are unable to enroll at Baylor due to finances.

How many students does the program expect to enroll?
About 50 students will be expected to enroll in the program during fall 2012. Goals for the second and third year of the pilot are 75 and 100 respectively.

What are the benefits?
While students in the program may not necessarily be on the Baylor campus every day, they will have the rights and privileges of most Baylor students. They will have access to our Student Life Center, the Health Center, our libraries, football and basketball tickets, intramural sports, and other student organizations. Our desire at Baylor is that students coming through this program feel like Baylor Bears from the moment they enroll; we also want them to be successful and graduate in four years.

What is required of students in the program?
Students can join the program for either one or two years depending on their academic goals. They must complete at least 12 credit hours per semester and earn at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA on all work taken at both institutions and at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA at each institution.

What classes will students take at Baylor while in the Baylor@MCC program?
In their first semester, students will take chapel (CHA 1088) and University 1000 (UNIV 1000) and one for-credit academic course. In their second semester, students will take CHA 1088 and one additional course at Baylor.

What happens after completing the program?
Students who successfully complete the program will begin full-time study at Baylor.

About Baylor University
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, classified as such with "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions.