Ferrum College’s Dean Angie Dahl, Provost Aimé Sposato, and President David Johns signed a memorandum of agreement with University of Pikeville’s President Burton Webb and Provost Lori Werth. Pre-professional health sciences students stand behind with Associate Professor of Biology Katie Goff (center). Not pictured: Michael Bacigalupi, dean of Kentucky College of Optometry.
On Monday, September 9, 2019, Ferrum College and University of Pikeville officials entered into an agreement to work together to provide access to a Doctor of Optometry degree for Ferrum College students. The agreement was signed on the College’s campus by Ferrum College President David Johns and Provost Aimé Sposato, and University of Pikeville President Burton Webb and Provost Lori Werth. Ferrum College Dean of the School of Health Professions and Social Sciences, Angie Dahl, and Kentucky College of Optometry Dean, Michael Bacigalupi, also signed the agreement.
The memorandum of agreement states that the University of Pikeville will reserve one seat each academic year in its Doctor of Optometry Program for a Ferrum College student who meets all criteria for the early admissions program. To be considered, students will need to ensure they are taking the courses required for admittance into the O.D. program; maintain at least a 3.25 GPA while at Ferrum College, earn a “C” or higher in required courses for admission to the University of Pikeville, score at least a 300 on the Optometry Admissions Test, and successfully complete all steps of the application process.
“Ferrum College is delighted to partner with the University of Pikeville to provide this outstanding opportunity for our students,” Johns said. “Both our institutions are committed to the health and vitality of Appalachia and to providing students pathways to innovative and meaningful work.”
“Ferrum College and UPIKE share many similarities and collaborate within the Appalachian College Association,” said Sposato. “With the changing landscape in higher education, institutions are seeking ways to be creative and innovative and recognizing that there are great benefits from establishing partnerships. We are honored to partner with UPIKE and to provide our students with this outstanding opportunity.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students, not only to be provided a rich education in both the liberal arts and pre-professional health sciences at Ferrum College, but also be able to be selected for a seat in a Doctor of Optometry program that is competitive and provides excellent preparation for a career in optometry,” said Dahl.
Learn more about Ferrum College’s pre-professional health sciences program here.
Learn more about University of Pikeville’s Kentucky College of Optometry here.
Ferrum College social work program students, faculty, and alumni met on Monday, September 9 in the Virginia Room on campus for the first gathering of a new series, Social Workers Speak. This series, coordinated by Assistant Professor of Social Work Martha Haley-Bowling, invites Ferrum College social work alumni back to campus to discuss their professional journey with current social work students. Alumni will provide feedback to students considering social work or interning in the field. The series will incorporate three meetings per semester.
Monday’s gathering included two Ferrum College alumnae who obtained their Bachelor of Social Work degrees at the College, and have gone on to also earn Master of Social Work degrees: Lakita Goins ’10 and Jame’E Gunter Hairston ’12. Goins is currently employed at Youth Connect in Rocky Mount, VA, and Hairston works at Piedmont Community Services, also located in Rocky Mount.
“It brings me so much joy to see our students learn and grow into these amazing social workers in our community,” said Haley-Bowling. “I have so much respect for them and their journeys that watching them interact with our students always brings me this sense of gratitude. They live Ferrum College’s motto – Not Self, But Others – daily.”
Read more about Ferrum College’s social work program here.
