Norwich partners with NC community college to educate soldiers

For Immediate Release
Feb. 16, 2011

Contact: Daphne Larkin
802-485-2886 or 595-3613(m)
dlarkin@norwich.edu

Follow our news releases
or on Twitter @NorwichNews


NEWS RELEASE

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Officials at Norwich University’s School of Graduate and Continuing Studies (SGCS) announced an agreement with Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) in North Carolina to educate Special Operations soldiers at nearby Fort Bragg.

The agreement will help facilitate soldier enrollment in a bachelor’s degree completion program at Norwich University, designed especially for the special operations community, through an articulation that recognizes associate’s degrees awarded by FTCC.

Offered online, the Norwich University bachelor’s degree completion program in Strategic Studies and Defense Analysis (SSDA) was designed to meet the higher educational needs of active duty, National Guard, and Reserve personnel that have been assigned to one of the subordinate commands within the United States Special Operations Command. The program is also available to veterans of the command.

The SSDA bachelor’s degree builds on the military education and experience of US Special Operations Forces (SOF) in the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). A highly experiential program, it bridges soldiers’ unique military experiences in vital areas such as sociology-anthropology, geography, language, cultural awareness, regional politics, and international conflict with relevant coursework and allows them to complete recognized competencies in general education needed for the bachelor’s degree.

Located near Fort Bragg, FTCC educates soldiers from the base in classroom-based and online programs.

On Tuesday, Feb. 15, officials from Norwich, which is located in Northfield, Vt., and FTCC signed an articulation agreement stating that FTCC students who complete an associate’s degree may transfer 60 credits as a block towards the SSDA program and move seamlessly into the Norwich program to complete the Bachelor of Science degree.

The signing event took place at 3 P.M. on the FTCC campus in Fayetteville, NC, and was attended by officials from both colleges the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and the US Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command. In remarks to attendees, Ray D. Walters, Dean of College Transfer and General Education stated that “today Fayetteville Technical Community College and Norwich University have set the standard for soldiers to seamlessly progress through their military and educational career.”

“We are pleased to work in partnership with FTCC to provide a coordinated and relevant educational opportunity for Special Operations Forces soldiers," said Dr. Bill Clements, dean of the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies. "FTCC has a long tradition of excellent service to the US military and was a natural partner in this endeavor to expand educational opportunities for our soldiers. We look forward to working together well into the future”

Attending on behalf of the US Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command was Chief of Staff Col. Terrell Parker II, who noted: “We are truly fortunate to have this educational opportunity for our soldiers, who serve as diplomats around the world and will benefit from the education they will receive at FTCC and Norwich University. We will see the benefits from this endeavor in our soldiers.”

Lt. Col. David Walton added that “increasingly the special forces soldier requires an education that goes beyond training, and the programs developed by FTCC and Norwich University will help significantly in this regard.”




Norwich University is a diversified academic institution that educates traditional-age students and adults in a Corps of Cadets and as civilians. Norwich offers a broad selection of traditional and distance-learning programs culminating in Baccalaureate and Graduate Degrees. Norwich University was founded in 1819 by Captain Alden Partridge of the U.S. Army. Norwich University is the oldest private military college in the United States of America and the birthplace of our nation's Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). www.norwich.edu

Norwich University’s School of Graduate and Continuing Studies (SGCS) builds upon the institution’s 191 year academic heritage with innovative online master’s degrees in a variety of areas. SGCS also offers a certificate in teaching and learning and a bachelor’s completion program. The programs are recognized throughout the industry for their rigor, small class size, high student satisfaction and retention. http://graduate.norwich.edu/