Who will step up to help Hodges University students?
This is the end of an era. For over three decades Hodges University has played a pivotal role in educating community leaders in Southwest Florida and beyond. An institution formed in the beginning to serve primarily working adults, something far from the mind of many in higher education. The non-traditional student; the single parent, the recently unemployed worker looking to upskill, veterans, first generation college students and those returning to finish degrees among them.
I chose Hodges because I saw the value of staying local. As a fifth generation Floridian and Florida SouthWestern State College Alumni I knew I wanted to stay here in Southwest Florida. It was especially the fact that Hodges had a campus in Collier County that made me choose the school for my graduate degree. Now I am one of many students at a turning point. We'll have to make a decision to finish our degree or transfer. For many, completion of our programs in less than a year will be near impossible without loading on student loan debt. Especially under today's economic uncertainty, housing challenges and other factors. So who will step up?
Which institutions in Florida will rise to the occasion for the many current Hodges students and our community here in Southwest Florida. Local institutions may offer support for baccalaureate students and many online institutions may also fill gaps. But for associates and graduate program students along with skilled areas like nursing they may face few options. Florida Gulf Coast University has an opportunity amongst this chaos to seize its moment in Southwest Florida history. It has avenues for transfer, but many have roadblocks like the maximum number of credits accepted in transfer, especially in those degrees mentioned above. It should be arms wide open to Hodges students, doubling down for our community and our economic future. By supporting the full transfer of Hodges credits towards degrees at FGCU they will send a clear message of the investment made here in Southwest Florida.
Why let Hodges students look elsewhere? Florida Gulf Coast University should look at multiple avenues for students, especially those only needing a handful of courses to complete their degree while working without the need to take on loans and debt in an unstable national economy. For decades FGCU has set a standard as our local university in Southwest Florida and it is my hope that they will reach put to Hodges students and offer support and tools to ensure students stay here and return the investment locally.
Jacob Winge is president of East Naples Civic and Commerce.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Who will step up to help Hodges University students?
