MoWest and SJSD explain ideas behind new direct admission program

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Missouri Western State University and the St. Joseph School District have partnered to offer students direct admission to MoWest.

This is the first partnership between a university and a school district in the state of Missouri.

Elizabeth Kennedy, MoWest's president, said this program was created to make applying for college easier.

"The reason for the partnership is to make high school students who are seeking a college career want to go to college, make the path easier, make it more of a seamless transition," she said.

Direct admission guarantees admission to graduates of Central, Benton and Lafayette High Schools who meet minimum academic criteria.

Students can join the program by completing a shortened application and then they will receive their direct admission letter.

Once the student receives their direct admission letter, a MoWest recruiter will reach out to the student to help.

Kennedy said this program allows a personal approach to the students, especially since a lot of their students are first-generation.

"So this provides our folks an opportunity to reach out and help students who are interested, who want to come to the MoWest," said Kennedy. "We can get them through the process much more seamlessly, a lot easier, and make them feel more comfortable as they continue to go through becoming a Griffon here at Missouri Western."

Kennedy also said, since the program's announcement, the university has seen around a dozen SJSD students commit to the initiative.

Samantha Davis, SJSD college and career readiness and family services coordinator, said they want to show their students that going to college is attainable.

"And what we really want to do is show them that absolutely if that is a dream of yours, that you can do that with MoWest being right in St. Joe, I just think it's a great time to really have that partnership to show students everything that they are capable of achieving," Davis said.

Any SJSD junior or senior interested in participating in the program can opt to do so by filling out a MoWest Direct Admission form at griff.vn/DirectSJSD.