Imperial Valley College and University of Arizona Yuma Expand Agri-STEM Transfer Opportunities

-Editorial 

Imperial Valley College and the University of Arizona Yuma have renewed an educational partnership to expand transfer opportunities for Imperial Valley students pursuing degrees in agriculture, engineering, and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

The institutions formalized the renewed partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement, strengthening pathways for IVC students to transfer to the University of Arizona’s Yuma location and, when appropriate, its main campus.

For IVC, the renewed agreement continues a partnership that has helped expand local access to STEM education, said Kristen Gomez, the college’s Articulation Officer & Transfer Center Coordinator. 

Gomez said the relationship began around 2015, when IVC had limited local STEM opportunities.

“At that time we did not have any local STEM opportunities for our students,” Gomez said. “So, for us to be able to get articulation and a bachelor’s degree pathway in Yuma, we considered that to be a local option.”

Gomez said IVC’s STEM programs have grown substantially since then, with increased enrollment requiring the college to hire additional instructors.

She said the University of Arizona’s engineering and agriculture programs contributed to that growth by providing students with a clear transfer pathway.

The University of Arizona Yuma has also expanded its academic offerings, Gomez said, with programs including biomedical engineering, software engineering, mechanical engineering and logistics.

She said the programs offer students opportunities beyond classroom instruction.

“The other really beautiful thing that I want to mention about U of A Yuma programs is that they do internships and job placement,” Gomez said. “That’s something that you don’t get with the California schools, and so that’s extremely valuable to our students.”

Gomez also said the programs can be accessible to Imperial Valley students because some courses use hybrid formats.

“If their program is like a Tuesday, Thursday, that means one of those days is online and you’re only driving to Yuma once a week,” she said.

James Edward Hunt, associate dean for career and academic services in the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, said the partnership is particularly relevant to the Imperial Valley’s agricultural economy.

“From my perspective, in the College of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, we’re in the middle of the agricultural breadbasket for the rest of the country during the winter,” Hunt said.

Students who complete associate degrees at IVC can transfer to the University of Arizona Yuma and pursue bachelor’s degrees in agriculture, human development, nutritional sciences and engineering. The programs also provide hands-on opportunities through the Yuma Agricultural Center and other community settings.

The renewed agreement is also designed to provide students with additional guidance as they prepare for transfer, according to Caleb Simmons, vice provost of Arizona Online at the University of Arizona.

Simmons said IVC is among the university’s top 10 transfer partners, making the college an important part of the University of Arizona’s efforts to expand its student pipeline and support regional economic development.

“So, this partnership in particular is reaffirming the commitment from both sides, the University of Arizona and IVC, to that transfer pathway, to make sure that we’re meeting students’ needs, understanding who they are, and developing pathways for them to get from Imperial Valley College to the University of Arizona, whether it’s Yuma or even the main campus,” Simmons said. 

University of Arizona staff and faculty will work with IVC students on transfer requirements, coursework, university systems, and financial planning, Simmons said.

“We’re committing to be here for students,” Simmons said. “Whenever they are interested in the university, we’re going to have staff here and faculty to be able to meet with them, talk about the process, help them understand the courses they need to take here to be successful at the University of Arizona.”

The partnership is part of IVC’s broader effort to create educational opportunities that connect students with institutions throughout the region, according to Dr. James Limbaugh, interim president/superintendent of Imperial Valley College.

Limbaugh said the success of such partnerships ultimately depends on their impact on students.

“I believe that any partnership that has the best interests of students at heart is going to be successful,” Limbaugh said.

He said he recently spoke with two students participating in the University of Arizona program who described the experience as significant to their education.

“I just talked to two students who are in the program, and they love it,” Limbaugh said. “They said it’s really been life-changing for them.”

Limbaugh also highlighted IVC’s broader relationships throughout the California-Baja California-Arizona region, including binational educational partnerships.