NORFOLK, Neb. — Students completing their associate degrees at Northeast Community College now have the option of making a seamless transition into a related bachelor’s degree through Doane University — at nearly the same cost. The partnership between Northeast and Doane allows for new transfers to receive either reduced tuition while attending Doane courses in Lincoln or online, or a grant to attend Doane’s residential campus in Crete.
Dr. Roger Hughes, Doane’s president and 1982 alumnus, and Dr. Leah Barrett, Northeast president, signed the institutional agreement renewing the partnership Friday in Northeast’s Union 73 on the Norfolk campus.
“We’re very excited about this agreement and the opportunities it presents to our students,” Hughes said. “No matter where a Northeast student is in their educational journey or in their career, with this agreement, they have a clear, cost-effective route to attaining a bachelor’s degree at Doane.”
The agreement between the two institutions was first created in 2019. The renewed agreement applies to students new to Doane who have completed associate-level degrees from Northeast.
"We are pleased to welcome our colleagues from Doane University today to sign this articulation agreement that will allow Northeast graduates another opportunity to continue their education and complete four-year degrees,” Barrett said. “With Doane offering reduced tuition for qualified students, it creates a more affordable approach for them to obtain a bachelor’s degree. It also serves as a wonderful example of our focus on guided pathways in meeting our mission of helping graduates in several program areas achieve their college completion goals.”
More than 60 degree programs from Northeast are currently listed as options for students to transfer into approximately 25 of Doane’s degrees in similar disciplines. This number may change as articulation agreements for individual degree programs are completed.
“This is a great opportunity for students, whether they want to have a residential campus experience in Crete or complete a bachelor’s degree while working or caring for family,” said Dr. Lorie Cook-Benjamin, chief academic officer. “One of the key pieces that Doane offers transfer students is that flexibility to receive their degree on their terms.”
For a Northeast student who transitions to an undergraduate program taught at Doane’s Lincoln or Omaha campus locations, or online, the university will provide early advising and orientation programs exclusively for transfer students. Tuition will also be reduced by 15% for students transferring from Northeast, on a per-credit hour basis for up to two-and-a-half years for a student who remains continuously enrolled while pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Doane.
For a Northeast student who transitions to a bachelor’s degree program on Doane’s Crete (residential) campus, Doane will provide early advising and orientation programs exclusively for transfer students and will provide an annual $20,000 Northeast partnership grant for four semesters of consecutive and continued enrollment.
Student-athletes transferring from Northeast are also invited to have conversations with coaches about continuing in athletics at the NAIA level in baseball, basketball, golf (men’s only), soccer, softball and volleyball. Students also have the option of participating in Doane’s performing arts.
For more information about transferring to Doane, visit doane.edu/admission-and-aid/transfer-to-doane.
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PHOTO CUTLINE
Dr. Leah Barrett, president of Northeast Community College, and Dr. Roger Hughes, president of Doane University, are pictured Friday in Northeast’s Union 73 in Norfolk after they signed an agreement to renew a partnership between the two institutions that allows for new transfers from Northeast to receive either reduced tuition while attending Doane courses in Lincoln or online, or a grant to attend Doane’s residential campus in Crete. (Northeast Community College)