United Central Coast is a collaborative effort between Allan Hancock College and Cuesta College to share information and develop two four-year degrees to be offered under the California Community College Baccalaureate program.
Allan Hancock College and Cuesta College are partnering on a campaign to share how both colleges can meet local workforce needs and offer four-year degrees under the California College Baccalaureate program. On Thursday, the college launched the United Coast Campaign at the Fine Arts Complex on Hacock’s Santa Maria campus.
“We want to be able to serve our Community,” Kevin Walthers said, who is the superintendent/president of Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria.
“The goal is to really align with our local schools' needs for teachers and so our faculty are working now to determine which teaching credential would be best for our program to align directly with,” President/Superintendent of Cuesta College Dr. Jill Stearns said.
College leaders want to make it easier and more affordable for community college students to get a bachelor’s degree.
“And it’s so challenging for those students who are limited to stay in the local community and so this is a huge opportunity for anyone who is looking to complete a bachelor's degree and either has a strong desire or need to remain local,” Dr. Stearns said.
Anais Diaz is a student at Allan Hancock College and was born and raised in Santa Maria, she said she wants to stay local.
She says it is important to continue her education but she doesn't want to move.
“I was born and raised in Santa Maria. I don't seek to go anywhere else I want to be able to work here. I want to invest in my community," Diaz said.
She thinks she would benefit from the new program and is hoping to get into a program like the one they proposed to finish her bachelor’s degree and hopefully continue to graduate school.
“I’m on the verge of being done here at Hancock and so what is next for me right? I need to be able to continue my education and this program would allow that to happen,” Diaz continued.
Allan Hancock College superintendent and president Kevin Walthers hopes to provide real workforce training for the community.
“They just don’t have access to it right now and we want to help people get better jobs so they can support their families and still live on the central coast,” Walthers said.
In the long run, it will give students more options.
He says the funding will be the same as the other programs.
“We would just build it into our budget and make it one of our programs just like we do with all the other programs on campus,” Walthers said.
“They’re going to have the opportunity to decide if this is the best fit for them or if transferring and moving away is better for them but it opens the door specifically for those who have already established themselves on the central coast and desire to stay,” Dr. Stearns said.
College leaders are asking community members to help further the proposal by writing letters and sending them directly to Allan Hancock College or Cuesta College.
