Does Presbyterian College have some inter-county competition? The USC Union Laurens Location opened its doors this semester to provide the Laurens County community with affordable and local undergraduate coursework.
But, what does this mean for PC?
“USC Union offers long-standing service to students in Laurens County and I’m sure that their Clinton location will be a benefit to the local community,” states Dr. Anita Gustafson, President of Presbyterian College.
Just a two-mile drive from Presbyterian College, the USC Union Laurens Location is based in the former Bell Street School, thus making it the only other college to root itself in Clinton, South Carolina.
The USC Union Laurens location offers general education credits, as well as the ability to obtain an Associate in either Arts or Science onsite. This contrasts with the 4-year undergraduate and graduate offerings at PC. The differing educational offerings of Presbyterian College and USC Union Laurens Location let local students decide what is right for them.
“Like many other cities and towns with multiple higher education facilities, I believe that the two schools offer diverse learning experiences and each has its own targeted demographics,” says Michele A. Cunningham, the Public Information Officer for the City of Clinton.
While a student looking to pursue a 2-year degree solely would not choose PC, students initially struggling with GPA or financial need may choose to continue at Presbyterian after completing their general education credits or Associate Degree at USC Union.
“Students from Laurens County might opt to start at USC Union for financial reasons,” says Dr. Randy Lowell, Dean of USC Union. “In terms of starting out at a lower tuition rate or attending tuition-free if they apply for the Laurens County Future Scholarship, as they complete coursework towards an associate in arts (A.A.) or associate in science (A.S.) degree, which would serve as general education coursework towards a bachelor’s degree afterward.”
USC Union Laurens Location encourages Laurens County students to apply to The Laurens County Future Scholarship which allows recent graduates to complete their first two years of college tuition-free.
USC Union is not the only one offering local scholarships though. Presbyterian College introduced their Laurens County Service Scholars program this Fall, to offer $30,000 yearly to Laurens County students involved in community service.
“The Laurens County Service Scholars Program would be available to any students residing in Laurens County, so if any of these students decide to transfer to PC, they would be eligible to apply for those scholarships,” adds Dr. Gustafson.
Such a scholarship incentive will promote continued local enrollment, even with the introduction of the USC Union Laurens Location.
A noted disparity that could affect potential enrollment is the dual enrollment program. President Gustafson states, “Some local high school students traveled to Union for dual enrollment classes, so it might mean that they will draw in additional high school students.”
USC Union Laurens Location offers a dual enrollment program for qualified high school juniors and seniors, a program not offered at Presbyterian College. Starting coursework at USC Union while still in high school may incentivize students to continue or finish their coursework at that institution. However, PC does accept transferable credit work from dual enrollment courses, making the transition from USC Union to Presbyterian College a seamless process.
Presbyterian College students hail from over 25 states and multiple countries, making the introduction of a junior college a minute, if not nonexistent, threat to national and global enrollment. Still, PC looks to serve its direct community in Laurens County by enrolling students locally. This begs the question, will the introduction of the USC Union Laurens Location harm PC’s future local enrollment?
“I think that it may have a positive effect on PC’s enrollment,” says the Mayor of Clinton, Randy Randall, “because of transfer agreements between PC and our state two-year institutions. Having two institutions of higher learning in Clinton will draw more prospective students who will be able to visit both campuses.”
Adjustments will be made in this period of introducing another collegiate institution to the Laurens County community, but rather than it being a threat to the current legacy of Presbyterian College, it seems as if it is an opportunity for collaboration between the two institutions as well as an extension in opportunities for the students of Laurens County.
Source List
USC Union announces its move to Bell Street campus, Clinton Chronicle, July 1, 2023 https://myclintonnews.com/stories/usc-union-announces-its-move-to-bell-street,34789
The Laurens County Future Scholarship
https://www.futurescholarship.org/
USC Union Laurens Location https://sc.edu/about/system_and_campuses/union/apply/Laurens%20Location.php
Presbyterian College Academic Catalog 2022-23, page 5 https://www.presby.edu/doc/registrar/AcademicCatalog-2022-2023.pdf
PC LAUNCHES NEW SERVICE-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LAURENS COUNTY STUDENTS, Presbyterian College, September 5, 2023 https://www.presby.edu/about/2023/09/05/pc-launches-new-service-based-scholarships-for-laurens-county-students/
