ABAC/MACON STATE OFFER CONVENIENT DEGREE PROGRAM

Four-year college degrees in a hot job market are available in Tifton. Just ask Jerry Minshew from Sycamore and Michele Mitchell from Lenox.

Minshew and Mitchell are two students who have taken advantage of the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology (IT) from the degree program offered at Abraham Baldwin College through a partnership with Macon State College (MSC). The program, which began in the spring of 2002, allows students to earn their bachelor’s degrees at ABAC without having to transfer to another institution.

Minshew, who works for the Target Corporation in the Regional Distribution Center as an Operations Analyst Technician, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology through the MSC degree program in August 2003. He also holds an Associate of Science degree in Computer Science from ABAC.

Minshew said he tried to find a way to attend a four-year school to obtain a bachelor’s degree while still working full time, but nothing fit his needs until he learned about the MSC program at ABAC.

“I wanted to complete my four-year degree, but attending a college away from the Tifton area wasn’t really an option because I work full time and have a family,” he said. “The Macon State program was ideal for me because of its flexibility. I could work my normal schedule and do my homework and studying during the evening. Both traditional and non-traditional students can benefit from the program and will learn from the experience.”

Minshew said ABAC's commitment to finding higher degree possibilities for its students and ABAC’s Evening and Off-Campus Program Office have been crucial to his success.

“Macon State allowed Evening and Off-Campus Program Office staff members to proctor tests for me so I would not always have to travel to Macon on test days,” he said. “Ellen Resta [Senior Secretary in ABAC’s Evening and Off-Campus Program] has done a superb job of providing support and communication. Dr. Gail Dillard [Director of ABAC’s Evening and Off-Campus Program] has been a strong asset in promoting the Macon State program.”

Mitchell, who is currently the Registrar at Tift County High School, holds an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration from ABAC. She plans to graduate from the MSC program during the 2004 summer semester.

Mitchell said she decided to enroll in the MSC degree program because the degree is offered locally through ABAC and on-line and because it will prepare her for positions in the IT field.  

“With a family and a full-time job, I could not travel to a college out of town, and the on-line classes allowed me to go to class without leaving my family,” she said. “The degree program is very flexible for non-traditional students like me. The instructors at Macon State are very knowledgeable in the information technology field and very helpful. They work around students’ schedules to arrange tests and class times.”

A Business Career Forum will be held on Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. in the Cordell Conference Room on the ABAC campus. Anyone who is interested in the MSC degree program is encouraged to attend. Representatives from MSC will be available to answer students’ questions after the forum.

Students in the MSC degree program can complete all information technology courses at the ABAC Tifton campus or on‑line. On‑site attendance at the MSC campus is generally required only one Saturday per month. In many cases, instructors make the trip to the ABAC campus, eliminating the need for students to travel to Macon. Students do not need to have an associate’s degree in information technology to enroll in the program. If they have an associate’s degree in any field, they can enter the IT bachelor’s degree program.

Students interested in the MSC degree program who do not have an associate degree can enroll in ABAC=s Certificate in Information Technology program. Georgia residents who qualify for the HOPE Grant will incur no tuition cost for 30 hours of course work leading to the certificate. No grade point average prerequisite is necessary to qualify for the HOPE Grant. Course work can be applied to ABAC’s Associate Degree in Information Technology and the MSC Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology.

For additional information about the forum or the MSC degree program, contact Dillard at (229) 386-7154, or e-mail her at gdillard@abac.edu.

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