Wallace State signs MOU with Athens State for Prior Learning Assessment
Faculty and staff of Wallace State Community College and Athens State University pose for a photo after Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics and Athens State Interim President Dr. Catherine Wehlburg signed a memorandum of understanding allowing Wallace State students to transfer prior learning assessments credits to Athens State. Pictured from left are, in front, Whit Rice, director of Wallace State’s Center for Student Success; Amber Robinson, Wallace State Success Advisor; Susan Peek, Wallace State Success Advisor and Prior Learning Specialist; Dr. Karolewics; Dr. Wehlburg; Helen Crider, ASU Wallace State Center Manager; Felicia Mucci, Athens State Director of Adult Degree Completion Program; Kristen Holmes, WSCC Vice President for Students; in back, Dr. Lee Vartanian, Interim Provost and VP of Academic Affairs.
Hanceville, AL — Wallace State Community College announces it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Athens State University, allowing seamless transfer of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) from Wallace State to Athens State.
Prior Learning Assessment allows students with professional certifications or special training such as that obtained during military service to receive credits for that experience and avoid taking classes that they may not need. Wallace State has led the Alabama Community College System in adoption of PLA opportunities.
“It is saving students time; it is saving them money and it is also, probably most importantly, valuing that learning occurs in a variety of ways and giving credit for that is the right thing for our students,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “We appreciate our partnerships with ASU and look forward to working even more together.”
“This provides for all of our students a real opportunity to take advantage of their experiences through prior learning assessment,” said Dr. Catherine Wehlburg, interim president at ASU.
Wehlburg said PLAs allow student to advance their education in the most economical way possible, by keeping them from repeating classes for which they already have the knowledge gained in previous experiences. “So that’s something important to us and being able to partner with Wallace State to make that pathway that much easier for students to go through.”
With the PLA transfer agreement, time is saved not only by the student but by the advising staff who will not need to recreate a student’s PLA portfolio when they transfer from Wallace State to Athens State. Wallace State students will carry that PLA credit with them to Athens State when they transfer to continue their education there. Conveniently, Athens State has an on-campus site at Wallace State’s main campus.
For more information about Prior Learning Assessment, contact Susan Peek at 256.352.7839 or susan.peek@wallacestate.edu.
Registration is underway for summer Mini Term II and Fall 2023. Summer Mini Term II classes begin June 30. Fall 2023 classes begin Aug. 18. For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu, call 256.352.8000, or come by Lion Central in the lobby of the James C. Bailey Center Monday-Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or Friday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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