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UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

UT Tyler, TJC Developing Patriot Pathway

January 20, 2015

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

January 20, 2015

Media Contact: Beverley Golden
Executive Director
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.566.7303 or 903.330.0495 (cell)

Media Contact: Elise Mullinix
Editorial Manager
Marketing & Public Affairs
Tyler Junior College
903.510.2370 or 903.520.5014 (cell)

The University of Texas at Tyler and Tyler Junior College, focused on an authentic collective impact, announce the strengthening of their collaboration and partnership through a program currently being developed as the Patriot Pathway.

Together, UT Tyler and TJC academic leadership teams will create a plan leading to the seamless transfer of students between the institutions.

Dr. Ross Sherman, UT Tyler interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Dr. Juan E. Mejia, TJC provost and vice president for student affairs, who are also participating in the region’s Collective Impact work, are committed to increasing the educational attainment levels for East Texas, focusing on economic development and regional prosperity.

“Our goal is to increase the educational attainment level of the citizens of East Texas. We recognize the economic and social benefits that come when students earn post-secondary degrees,’’ Sherman said. “Dr. Mejia and I are committed to working collaboratively to achieve this goal.’’

“UT Tyler and TJC have enjoyed a positive relationship for a number of years, and our goal is to take it to a higher level where the models of collaboration that we create between our institutions can become the national models,’’ Mejia said.

“In working with Dr. Sherman, his team and the academic leadership team of TJC, it is clear that we have the ability to rapidly implement models that best serve our communities, do it at scale and make them sustainable,” he added.

Sherman and Mejia also expressed appreciation to Dr. Bill Geiger, UT Tyler vice provost and dean of the graduate school and academic affairs, and to Dr. Tampa Nannen, TJC assistant provost, for their leadership with the initiative.

One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 8,000 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.

UT Tyler-TJC Partnership: (from left) Dr. Ross Sherman, UT Tyler interim provost and vice president for academic affairs; Dr. Tampa Nannen, TJC assistant provost; Dr. Bill Geiger, UT Tyler vice provost and dean of the graduate school and academic affairs; and Dr. Juan E. Mejia, TJC provost and vice president of student affairs. Photo courtesy of Tyler Junior College.