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Siena helps students achieve new heights

For 30 years, MCCC has been partnered with Siena Heights University to offer students educational opportunities. Through this relationship, students interested in a bachelor’s degree can earn many of their credits on MCCC’s campus.

The program, called “3 + 1,” allows students to take up to 90 transferable credits at MCCC and complete their final year through Siena Heights University. Students who complete this program successfully can earn both an associate degree and a bachelor’s degree.

“Students can finish their associate degree, and then take additional credits after that.

We advise them on which classes they need and which will count, and then they begin taking their classes with us.

“Usually once they get to us, it’s about 10 classes and they’re done,” says Kelly Newman, enrollment advisor.

Student Enrollment Advisor Kelly Newman works at her desk. – Photos by Carla Cohen

Siena Heights University has their own office on campus with two advisors: Newman and Dana Shook, an enrollment advisor for nursing students.

“We look at the classes they’ve had at community to see what would transfer, how many hours they could transfer, and if they meet the prerequisites for the bachelor’s degree,” Shook said.

By working with advisers from both schools, students are directed to take the courses needed to complete both degrees.

“It saves them the time from working with both advisers and saves them the money by going to the community college for three years versus a regular university where they would pay a larger, higher tuition rate,” Newman said.

The classes offered by Siena Heights University are flexible, providing opportunities for students despite scheduling conflicts.

“Once they come to us, they can do it in as little as a year, or they can spread it out to as long as they want and it can be done all completely online,” Newman said.

SHU offers hundreds of degree designations across multiple fields.

“From the Monroe campus, some of what we offer is Business and Accounting, we offer Multidisciplinary Studies, we offer a Professional Communication, and we offer a Bachelor of Applied Science, which covers about 200 to 250 degrees that we can work into a bachelor’s degree program,” Newman said.

Siena Heights also offers minors, works with grad students to obtain their master’s degree and nursing programs.

“With nursing, we also have the RN to BSN program, so for a lot of nurses who work with respiratory therapy, that’s a big program here at Monroe. We do have a Bachelor of Applied Science for the respiratory therapist,” Shook said.

For students, earning a bachelor’s degree through the 3 + 1 program can reap long-lasting benefits, according to Newman.

“To just do the community college program, you’re only getting your associate degree. For most companies, they want you to have a bachelor’s degree for promotion or advancement on the job, so the huge advantage to the community college student is to stay (on Monroe’s campus) for three years so you’re paying the community college price.”

Students who are interested in this program can visit the Siena Heights University office in L112 for more information or contact one of the advisers via phone or email:

Kelly Newman (734-384-4133): knewman1@sienaheights.edu

Dana Shook (734-384-4322): dshook@sienaheights.edu