A year in the making! It is finally official … the River Parishes have a fully accredited Community College.

River Parishes Community College, Reserve Campus is offering Louisiana Transfer Degrees in fields of Criminal Justice, Humanities, Business, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences and General Studies.

The Transfer Degrees, once completed successfully, will be accepted at any public University in the State of Louisiana including but not limited to LSU, Grambling State University, Southern University and Nicholls State University.

This means students will enter those four-year universities as a Junior with only two years to complete their Bachelor’s Degree.

By attending the first two years near home at a Community College, students and parents can reduce the cost of college by a substantial amount, and the student has the opportunity to acclimate themselves to the rigors of college classes without the added stress of living away from home.

The Reserve Campus is fully staffed with SACS/COC accredited Instructors for these new programs and classes are filling fast.

Fall Registration is open and the Student Services Staff are available to assist with Registration, Financial Aid, Scheduling classes and any questions pertaining to the college or degree programs.

This is a monumental opportunity for River Parishes citizens to attain college degrees close to home.

While the new degree programs are exciting and offer a bright future, so do the Technical Programs that made this campus among one of the best in the area.

All Technical Programs are still open and thriving to fill local jobs.

The Reserve Campus has come a long way since the 1970s-days of the old Vo-Tech School. Lab areas are filled with equipment that students learn hands-on practices so that they are work ready upon graduation.

Instructors come from local Industry to teach from the knowledge and work experiences that they have amassed over 20- or 30-year successful careers.

It’s a new day and offering a much brighter future to the local residents of the River Parishes and all should take full advantage of what is here right at home.

Penelope Shumaker is Campus Director for the Reserve Campus of River Parishes Community College. Email her at pshumaker@rpcc.edu.