Written by Maureen Brakke
MONMOUTH, Ore. – Western Oregon University and Clackamas Community College have collaborated on a joint early childhood bilingual pathway partnership that actively supports and recruits Clackamas Community College graduates ready to complete their bachelor’s degree in early childhood education at Western.
Clackamas offers an applied associate degree in early childhood education in Spanish, allowing graduates to seamlessly transfer to Western and earn their bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. Thanks to this partnership, Western will provide flexible courses to ensure students receive a comprehensive education in early childhood entirely in bilingual settings. The demand for early educators with Spanish expertise has grown in Oregon, making this collaboration essential in meeting those needs.
A Ford Family Foundation grant has been awarded to Western to support efforts in onboarding bilingual early childhood faculty. The grant will facilitate collaborative work and help revise and plan future bilingual coursework. The first courses in this partnership launched at Western this fall.
“We are humbled by the passion and commitment demonstrated at Clackamas Community College and Western to get this program up and running. We salute the ongoing efforts of Clackamas to offer an associate degree in early childhood completely online and in Spanish,” said Cindy Ryan, Ed.D., associate professor in early childhood and chair of the Division of Education and Leadership. “We are honored to support these students as they come to us to complete their bilingual bachelor’s degree in early childhood studies.”
“Access to education changes the lives not only of our students but of their children, their families, and their communities. Providing an opportunity to pursue coursework in their home language of Spanish and obtain a degree can change the trajectory of the lives of our students. At Clackamas, we are so incredibly grateful to be in partnership with Western Oregon University to collaboratively build this bilingual pathway,” said Dawn Hendricks, Ph.D., department chair of Early Childhood Education, Education, and Human Services at Clackamas Community College.
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About Western Oregon University
Western Oregon University, established in Monmouth in 1856, proudly stands as Oregon’s oldest public university. Hosting around 4,000 students, Western embodies a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution, with approximately 80% of its students hailing from within the state. Notably, its diverse student body comprises individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, veterans, and non-traditional learners. Western stands as the preferred campus in Oregon for those pursuing an enriching education within a nurturing, student-focused environment, characterized by faculty-led instruction. Where YOU Belong.
