Scholarships ease the path from Wor-Wic to UMES

PRINCESS ANNE — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Wor-Wic Community College have renewed an agreement that creates a financial incentive for recent graduates of the two-year school in Salisbury to continue their studies 17 miles south in Princess Anne.

Dr. Heidi M. Anderson, president of UMES, and Deborah Casey, Ph.D., president of Wor-Wic, signed a memorandum of understanding that provides every Wor-Wic graduate continuing their education at UMES with $3,500 annually toward their in-state tuition bill for up to six semesters at the university. In addition, three Wor-Wic applicants will qualify for a full-ride Presidential Scholarship worth $8,585 annually. As an added incentive, the application fee is waived for Wor-Wic students applying to UMES.

“Education has a transformative effect on people’s lives, and this agreement helps eliminate some of the financial barriers that might have kept our students from fulfilling their potential,” Casey said. “We are grateful for this valuable partnership with UMES.”

“When we signed our most recent MOU with Wor-Wic three years ago, we wanted to ensure that the dream of an affordable college education would be a reality,” Anderson said. “Since that time, we’ve seen the overwhelming success of Wor-Wic students who transfer to UMES – their graduation rates are 12% higher than the average rate based on National Student Clearinghouse data. This scholarship program is another step in the seamless transition to receiving a bachelor’s degree and soaring toward future success.”

Both Lower Shore colleges offer instruction in such fields as hospitality/hotel-motel-restaurant management, physical therapy, early childhood education, construction (management) and law enforcement that could ease the transfer path for scholarship recipients to earn a bachelor’s degree.

In addition, Wor-Wic recently instituted a pharmacy pre-transfer process to help students interested in pursuing the UMES doctor of pharmacy degree.