Posted with permission of the Imperial Valley Press
Imperial Valley College and the University of Arizona-Yuma enter memorandum of understanding
By SANDY SIERRA Imperial Valley Press Staff Writer
IMPERIAL — A memorandum of understanding was entered between Imperial Valley College and The University of Arizona-Yuma earlier this month and was ratified by the IVC Board of Trustees Wednesday evening.
The MOU will allow college students more transfer options to earn a bachelor's degree and still remain relatively close to home.
The college has already entered into a similar agreement with CETYS University in Mexicali and San Diego State University-Imperial Valley campus, said Bill Gay, IVC spokesman.
"It's really an effort to help provide options to students interested in transferring," he added.
More specifically, it provides options for students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics, or STEAM.
"It allows them to go into and a major and get a degree in areas that are not available locally," IVC's Dean of Counseling Ted Ceasar said. "These are degrees that they would have to leave the Imperial Valley to obtain. This way, if they choose to pursue this, they will be able to obtain degrees in STEAM. It is a great opportunity for students from the area to stay home and complete their bachelor degree from a national university that is very high-quality."
Prospective students will be able to pursue Bachelor of Science degrees in agriculture technology, sustainable plant systems, systems engineering, civil engineering and microbiology/veterinary science, to name a few.
Also an incentive, students who choose to attend the University of Arizona campus in Yuma after transferring from IVC will be eligible to pay the state tuition for Arizona, which Imperial Valley College Foundation Director Todd Evangelist said is lower than most universities in California.
"Even if you've lived in the Imperial Valley your whole life, you won't have to pay the out-of-state fees, which is a huge deal," Evangelist said.
The transferring process will also be facilitated.
"We are also working in developing an articulation agreement which will let students know what the general education requirements for transferring are," Ceasar added.
UA-Yuma representatives have already met one-on-one with interested students and are set to participate in the college's University Day in the fall.
"We've already been doing much of that but this sets the framework for continuing to develop this partnership and allow resources into our campus," Ceasar said.
Staff Writer Sandy Sierra can be reached at 760-337-3440 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.