In 2004-2005, Truman State University established formal articulation agreements with three regional community colleges: Metropolitan Community Colleges in Kansas City, St. Charles Community College near St. Louis, and Moberly Area Community College in north-central Missouri. The opportunities created by these new partnerships, coupled with recent national and statewide calls for changes in undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, led to The Next STEP Program.
Since its founding in 1867, Truman State University has undergone a series of transitions, evolving from a normal school to a state teachers college in 1919 to a comprehensive state university in 1972. In 1987, Truman was designated by the Missouri Legislature as the State’s only public liberal arts and sciences institution, and, in 1993, became Missouri’s only public university to adopt the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education’s “highly selective’’ mission standard.
More than 40 percent of the University’s graduates enter graduate or professional schools, and more than 97 percent gain employment in fields related to their course of study. For many students, these placement rates are positively correlated with participation in undergraduate research and regular interaction with a faculty mentor.
The Metropolitan Community Colleges
Founded in 1915, the Metropolitan Community Colleges (MCC) is the oldest public institution of higher education serving the four counties of metropolitan Kansas City. The MCC District includes five colleges and nine locations, and offers more than 70 career and transfer degree programs for more than 40,000 students. MCC takes pride in offering accessible and affordable education, exceptional faculty, and quality programs and services in a caring and supportive environment. MCC offers its students several opportunities to participate in unique learning environments. One that it has in common with Truman is the opportunity to participate in a learning community, which involves students in active learning that includes discussions, seminars, workshops, and a great deal of writing. Learning communities at MCC take apparently unrelated courses and link them together with a theme and a team of instructors. Students evaluate their own progress, as well as participate in more traditional forms of student evaluation. MCC is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.
Just outside of St. Louis, St. Charles Community College serves one of Missouri’s fastest growing areas. In the last ten years the campus has planned a three-phase expansion program, most recently adding a new Technology Center and expanding the campus to 222 acres. St. Charles is a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate’s degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences, and career-technical fields. For the fall of 2003, St. Charles enrolled approximately 7,000 students in for-credit programs. The institution also offers a wide variety of non-credit and continuing education programs to over 23,000 participants annually. St. Charles Community College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, a commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Moberly Area Community College
Moberly Area Community College (MACC) is a publicly supported institution of higher education with the mission of fostering excellence in learning. MACC enrolls approximately 3,500 students including those on its main campus in Moberly, Missouri, and at satellite facilities in six other northeast Missouri communities including Kirksville. Approximately 75% of MACC’s student-body are first-generation college students. Moberly offers two main transfer-track degrees, the Associate of Arts Degree, and the Associate of Science degree, which prepares students for continuing study in most engineering disciplines. MACC is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.