PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):---
The Division Study Financing, the University of St. Martin, and Monroe College held a meeting recently to discuss strengthening the relationship Between Monroe and the University of St. Martin that would benefit St. Maarten students.
The agreement will provide quality education to the St. Maarten population.
Present at the meeting were Mr Francio Guadeloupe Dean of Academics the University of St. Martin, Director of Admissions Gersom Lopez from Monroe College, Calvin B. Mardemborough, Senior Study Financing Policy Advisor, Study Financing Division, Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth & Sports, and Robert Budike, Financial Manager, the University of St. Martin.
Director of Admissions Mr. Lopez stated that Monroe College, a committed partner, comes to the table as a fully accredited institution via the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Through this accreditation students are guaranteed an international recognized degree.
Monroe representative Mr. Lopez also stated that St. Maarten and the USM fit into the target nations/target audience of Monroe College, who has students from regions such as Asian tigers and emerging trade giants in the region such as South Korea, China, India, Japan, the Gulf states, and the UK.
Guadeloupe said that this market that Monroe has is beneficial in many ways to St. Maarten/St. Martin students, who will be exposed to an international environment and young professionals hailing from the four corners of the globe. He said that Monroe recognizes the equally phenomenal growth of the hospitality and service sector which could be coupled with their S.T.E.M. affiliated programs and focus on technology and computer engineering/information systems. Technology has its counterpart in enhancing techniques of service and customer satisfaction tied to a human face. It is here in terms of the hospitality and business sector that Monroe is beneficial to St. Maarten/St. Martin's needs.
Within short, the both institutions will produce a joint brochure, listing the courses the USM offers in Business and Hospitality that are transferable to Monroe College and a representative from Monroe College will come to St. Maarten to jointly promote at the high schools.
An agreement is that students on the island who do the first two (2) year associate with USM, they can continue onwards to do one (1) year and 4 months at Monroe and gain their BA degree. Those who do the pre-USM can thus obtain their BA in 4,4 years. Admission to USM program will be accompanied with a partial letter of admittance to Monroe College. Two conditions will have to be met, and that is that the student graduates from the USM and he/she has a minimum grade point average(GPA) of 2.50.
In the near future, Monroe College will offer individuals on St. Maarten with ample work experience on a BA to possibility of enrollment in an executive MA hospitality program or adult learners in an online BA
(for those on an A.A. level).
Also discussed was the Monroe "College for a week" program that had been previously done in collaboration with the St. Maarten government, that allowed St. Maarten high school students to experience College life while spending a week at Monroe.
Since signing of the MOU with Monroe College in June 2011, St. Maarten students including those who transferred with credits from the USM have made our country proud by graduating among the best in their class.
