BAYLIS, Illinois (WGEM) – Friday morning was a big step forward for Tri-State agriculture education as John Wood Community College and Western Illinois University partnered to make their ag curriculum coincide giving JWCC students an easy transition into a four-year program at WIU.
JWCC President Bryan Renfro met with WIU President Guiyou Huang for the first time in-person on Friday morning to sign the 2+2 Agricultural Articulation Agreement.
“We both share similar values,” Renfro said. “And the education it can bring to students.”
Renfro said the agreement will provide a clear pathway and easy credit transfer from the JWCC ag program to WIU.
“It reduces cost and gets them through college fast into the workforce,” Renfro said.
JWCC freshman Marcus Perry is one student looking to transfer to WIU for their ag business program. He said going through the 2+2 program is saving him money and more.
“John Wood, that’s got more of a rural feel to it,” Perry said. “And Macomb is kind of a mix of both worlds, with a lot more cultural diversity. That’s something we need to focus on and something that people in the rural area need to focus on.”
Perry said the agriculture industry benefits the economy in many ways.
“The ag industry is one of the biggest industries in the world,” Perry said. “It accounts for 3 billion jobs one the planet.”
Renfro said the agreement could increase enrollment.
“I think when students can see where they start and where they finish they are more likely to enroll,” Renfro said.
More info on JWCC’s agriculture program can be found here.
To learn more about WIU’s ag program click here.
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JWCC and WIU sign articulation agreement for agriculture programs – WGEM
