LEWISTON – “Our two institutions share the commitment to helping more Maine people earn a bachelor’s degree, this agreement is one more step toward making the transition between the community college to the university as seamless as possible for our students,” said Scott Knapp, president of Central Maine Community College, as he formally signed the Associate in Arts Advantage agreement.

Joining Knapp at the ceremony on the Central Maine Community College campus on Friday was Richard Pattenaude, president of the University of Southern Maine. “The focus of the programs offered by CM and USM are different,” said Pattenaude, “but our campuses share a common mission, which is to expand educational opportunities for the people of Maine. Agreements such as this, which enable a smooth transition from two-year to four-year academic programs, build on that shared mission.”

The agreement, which parallels those between USM and Southern Maine Community College and York County Community College, guarantees that graduates of CM’s liberal studies program will be able to enter USM as juniors, with minimal paper flow. There are 37 students enrolled in the liberal studies program.

For more information about the program at Central Maine Community College, contact the college admissions office at 755-5273 or 1-800/891-2002, ext. 273.