In an effort to increase access to higher education and student success in their future careers, the two institutions are strengthening the relationship they have been building in the past several years to align curriculum and create additional seamless transfers from Gateway to Parkside. 

Many students today see competing priorities of school, work and finances as barriers to higher education and a career that will allow them to support a family. This agreement helps remove some of those barriers. "I applaud the hard work of Gateway and UW-Parkside staff who recognized the value of these agreements and worked to make them happen for the benefit of students and our community," said Gateway President and CEO Bryan Albrecht. "We are committed to enhancing our region's educational accessibility and quality. These agreements work to the students' benefit and they strengthen our institutions as well." 

University of Wisconsin-Parkside Chancellor Debbie Ford recalled the history of collaboration between the two institutions. "While Parkside is rather young in comparison to Gateway, the first publicly funded technical college in the United States, our partnerships run deeper than many realize," she said. "For decades, Gateway and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside have worked together to benefit our communities and provide the talent base our businesses and organizations need." 

These latest additions to the partnership and their meaning for students were celebrated in a signing ceremony in September at UW-Parkside by Chancellor Ford and President Albrecht. Even mascots from the two schools joined in. 

Students graduating from Gateway with degrees in accounting, business management, marketing, and supervisory management will have the opportunity to transfer into UW-Parkside in the programs of accounting, marketing, management information systems, and business management (with concentration areas of general business, finance, and human resource management) in the UW-Parkside College of Business, Economics, and Computing. The Parkside business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business International (AACSB).

Students graduating with a Gateway degree in graphic communications will have the opportunity to transfer into UW-Parkside's graphic design (art) degree program in the UW-Parkside College of Arts and Humanities. 

Depending on the degree, Gateway students will see 54 to 62 of their credits accepted at UW-Parkside. This is considered a true 2-plus-2 agreement, where students transfer into the university with junior standing. 

These agreements provide students even greater options for their education and career. They can earn a technical college degree and enter the workforce – but still have the opportunity to earn a baccalaureate degree. It also allows students who want to begin their education at Gateway, and continue at UW-Parkside, the peace of mind to know that their credits will be accepted at the four-year university – and the time and money invested will be recognized. 

Articulation agreements aren't new to the two institutions, but the new agreements are the most broad and extensive – and represent the greatest options offered to students to gain higher education. 

Most Gateway and UW-Parkside students live and work in southeastern Wisconsin, so the agreement has the ability to greatly impact area students, their families, and businesses and organizations in the region. 

Gateway students wishing to participate in the transfer agreements should contact their program adviser.