New Cohorts Allow Students to Earn Bachelor’s Degrees on Their Community College Campuses

When Nicole Schultz ’18 was getting ready to transfer from Bucks County Community College to a four-year program at Bloomsburg University, she suffered the loss of a family member. Schultz wanted to stay close to home but did not want to give up on her plan of earning a bachelor’s in counseling psychology. 

“I just wanted to come home,” said Schultz. “My mom actually showed me an ad in the paper about the DelVal cohort with Bucks.”

Through a partnership between Delaware Valley University and Bucks County Community College, Schultz was able to finish her bachelor’s through DelVal right on the Bucks campus. Schultz is part of the first cohort to go through the DelVal bachelor’s degree program at Bucks County Community College. 

On May 19, 10 students from degree completion programs at Bucks County Community College and Delaware County Community College will participate in the University’s Commencement ceremony. The cohort students who are walking in the ceremony include Schultz, Alexandria Harrison, Aisha Bosket, Chelsea Jamison, Katelyn Begley, Satyam Patel, Michael Bongiorno, Matthew Charles Lafferty, Kiesha Oliver and Erica Culler. 

Many of the students in the cohorts are planning to attend graduate school. Schultz will start her M.A. in counseling psychology this summer at DelVal, and Culler has been accepted to the University of Pennsylvania, where she will pursue a master’s in counseling psychology. 

“DelVal’s degree completion programs have provided community college graduates with the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degrees in as little as two years of part-time study in a convenient and affordable program,” said DelVal Director of Continuing and Professional Studies Admission Linda Lefevre. 
 
The University’s onsite programs at Delaware County Community College and Bucks County Community College allow students to complete their bachelor’s degrees in business administration and counseling psychology through flexible evening and online classes. There are currently 46 cohort students attending classes in the business administration and counseling psychology programs. DelVal is hoping to launch a criminal justice cohort soon. 

The program has been appealing to students who are balancing school, work and family responsibilities. 

“Being a single parent and working full time really made me feel like I was never going to find a good program, and when I received the flyer in the mail about the cohort it honestly changed my life,” said Aisha Bosket, a Bucks participant. “Having the opportunity to come to class at night and still have the same opportunities as everyone else, meeting brilliant professors, having Linda and Yolanda Udvardy (director of continuing and professional studies) helping us every step of the way, this is something I will truly never forget.”

The University’s partnerships with area community colleges are expanding opportunities for students and offering a new way for area students to attain bachelor’s degrees. 

“We are excited to see our enhanced partnership with DelVal bear fruit in the first class to graduate from our on-site bachelor’s degree completion program,” said Dr. L. Joy Gates Black, president of Delaware County Community College. “These graduates have wisely taken full advantage of the convenience and cost savings offered under this innovative academic program.”

Learn more about the degree completion program at Delaware County Community College at delval.edu/dccc.

Learn more about the degree completion program at Bucks County Community College at delval.edu/bucks.