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It’s called the Crossland College of Technology Enterprise Program, and it was announced in a formal signing ceremony on Wednesday at FTC.
FTC has been part of Joplin High School since 1937, offering an array of career and technical education courses to juniors and seniors that closely parallel university courses offered in the Crossland College of Technology — courses like Collision Repair, Welding, and HVAC.
As part of the new agreement, each year, up to 10 FTC students will be selected to receive full tuition and fees at Pitt State. The scholarships will be renewable for two to four years, depending on the program in which they choose to enroll.
They may choose from programs in:
Programs in those schools include Automotive Technology, Plastics Technology, Electronics Engineering Technology, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Construction Engineering Technology, Construction Management, Interior Design, Safety Management, Technical Teacher Education, Wood Product Manufacturing, Career and Technical Education, Graphic Communications, and Workforce Development.
Many programs offer several possible fields of study.
As part of the new agreement, Vice President Karl Stumo noted that there will be many supports for students in place.
Students may choose to live in a residence hall living/learning space along with other students enrolled in the Crossland College of Technology.
They will have a dedicated academic advisor for personalized course selection and advisement to ensure on-time graduation.
And, they will be connected with a counselor committed to identifying internships and relevant work opportunities during their college experience.
Pitt State also will provide FTC with guest speakers and special events in technical fields.
Superintendent Kerry Sachetta, Principal Randy Oliver, and FTC Director Kaci Dorton thanked Pitt State and the Crossland College of Technology, as well as Crossland Construction, for making such an opportunity possible to FTC students.
“Our job is to prepare them for the workforce,” said Dorton, "and we couldn’t do it without strong community partners. This gives our students a valuable pathway toward a career. Just to see the look on their faces when they found out this was happening was pretty great.”
FTC students in attendance at the signing ceremony said it showed them that others believe in their dreams, and it makes the goal of attending college seem more attainable.
“What’s so exciting about this is it’s giving students access to academics in an affordable pathway,” said Pitt State Provost Susan Bon, who oversees academics at the university. “It's opening doors."
It also will help provide employers with a pipeline of highly qualified graduates in fields facing increased workforce demands.
President Dan Shipp, who joined Sachetta in signing the formal agreement during the ceremony, said it was an honor to be able to pave a pathway for dozens and dozens of students to pursue a higher education.
Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Karl Stumo noted that it wouldn’t have been possible without the partnership of Dorton and Oliver.
“This opportunity will mean the world to our students,” Oliver said.
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