Gateway Community and Technical College and Thomas More College today announced a new educational partnership that will guarantee qualifying Gateway graduates automatic admission to Thomas More College and an enhanced financial aid package with a value of at least $10,000. Students earning an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree at Gateway will be eligible for the new “Four is MORE Program.”

“The Four is MORE partnership reflects Gateway’s ongoing strategy to provide hiqh quality transfer education that prepares our students to pursue a bachelor’s degree if they so desire,” said Ed Hughes, Gateway president and CEO.

“The program benefits our students by providing a seamless transition into one of region’s premier four-year colleges,” Hughes added. “Equally important, students will be able to save very substantial sums of money on a four-year degree by completing their first two years at Gateway at our very affordable tuition rates and then having access to a very attractive financial aid package at Thomas More. We are delighted to be able to extend these benefits to our students.”

President of Thomas More College Sr. Margaret Stallmeyer, C.D.P., further explained, “There is a growing recognition in our region of the necessity of post-secondary education, and increasing the access to higher education is a primary goal of our partnership with Gateway. I believe the Four is More program addresses that in a most concrete manner by providing a smooth transition from a two-year degree to a four-year degree.”

Stallmeyer noted that the partnership is ideal for students who have begun a two-year degree and realize the potential that a four-year degree could offer. “Gateway students who want to go on to pursue their bachelor’s degree will find that our small class sizes and individualized attention offer them opportunities to fully explore their chosen fields. We’re proud to partner with Gateway on this valuable student benefit.”

The partnership guarantees Gateway associate degree graduates who enroll full time at Thomas More a minimum of $10,000 in scholarships and grants from Thomas More. Awards are based on a combination of financial need and grade point average.

Students with grade point averages of 3.0 and higher will be eligible for larger awards, up to $14,000 a year for three years.

Gateway and Thomas More College officials will formally sign the partnership agreement in a meeting Friday at 2 p.m. at the Thomas More College library on the campus at 333 Thomas More Parkway.

Gateway students interested in the Four is MORE Program should contact Mike Rosenberg, Gateway director of transfer services, by phone, 859-815-7681, or email,michael.rosenberg@kctcs.edu. People who wish to apply to Gateway to begin a transfer degree should contact the Admissions Office at 859-442-1134.

For more information about the Four is MORE program, click here.