Lake Michigan College has signed and finalized its agreement with Rio Salado College to offer more classes to LMC students via distance learning. Rio Salado President Kate Smith was in Benton Harbor Friday to seal the deal. LMC President Trevor Kubatzke tells WSJM News the partnership started to come together about three years ago when he met Smith at a conference.
“It was a long process, but because of her vision and, I think, the ability for us to be bold, we now can bring curriculum to southwest Michigan that we would be unable to any other way,” Kubatzke said.
Smith says online distance learning is Rio Salado’s specialty.
“Rio Salado College was founded in 1978 to be a college without walls, to be a non-traditional provider of higher education to increase access to students. So, that’s kind of our heart.”
LMC students who take online courses via Rio Salado will earn LMC credits that will count toward their degree at LMC. Kubatzke says they say they’re taking LMC courses powered by Rio Salado. Rio Salado College will provide to LMC courses that include American Sign Language, French, Insurance, and a variety of IT courses. Kubatzke says they’ll be fully available in the fall.
