Jefferson Community College has brokered a new alliance to advance the Jefferson Higher Education Center (JHEC) initiative. St. John Fisher College will be joining the JHEC as an official partner institution. Starting this May, St. John Fisher College will offer an Education Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Executive Leadership on the JCC campus.
The JHEC initiative began as an effort to increase access to various degree programs, including bachelors, masters, professional certificate programs, and now doctorate level programs. Through the program, residents of the North Country have access to multiple institutions through the center’s collaborative educational opportunities.
This partnership benefits the local workforce through advanced educational offerings for those who hold or are looking for executive leadership positions in P-12 education and higher education, as well as the healthcare, non-profit, business, military, and government sectors. The goal of bringing the Ed.D. program to JHEC was to provide an outlet for advanced study for executives and managers in the Jefferson and Lewis County region.
The Ed.D. program will be run through the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education at St. John Fisher College and takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying executive leadership. Officials are hoping to attract people to the program through its format of accelerated alternating weekends, which allows working professionals to fully immerse themselves in the program and be completed in approximately 28 months.
Dr. Donald Bain, President of St. John Fisher, said of the program, “Establishing educational partnerships and extension sites is one of the ways we intend to achieve mission-consistent and fiscally responsible enrollment growth for the College. By offering the Ed.D. in Executive Leadership at JCC, we are one step closer to that goal.”
This alliance with St. John Fisher College is just one of many agreements the JHEC holds, but it is the first doctorate-level program. JHEC continues to work with SUNY Upstate Medical University, SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Empire State College. The institution also allows for articulation to numerous institutions across the country.
“I’m excited for the educational opportunities that St. John Fisher College is bringing to our local community,” said Dr. Carole A. McCoy, President of Jefferson Community College. “I was a working adult when I decided to get a doctoral degree and I keenly remember trying to find a program that was flexible enough to meet my needs. The format of the St. John Fisher College program is perfect for people who are working full-time. I would have loved to have a high quality program like this that was accessible and close to where I lived and worked rather than having to travel.”