Garden City Community College (GCCC) and Kansas State University (K-State) are partnering to offer bachelor’s degree programs in southwest Kansas, allowing students to complete their education locally without the need to relocate. This initiative aims to address the region’s educational gap, where only 17.9% of residents hold a four-year degree, compared to the state average of 33.9%.

Students can complete the first 60 to 75 credit hours at GCCC before finishing their bachelor’s degrees with K-State in Garden City. The programs will combine remote learning with on-site lab experiences, providing flexibility while aligning with local workforce demands in fields like agriculture, education, and health sciences. “At Kansas State University, our land-grant mission is to make education accessible to all Kansans, regardless of location or background,” said K-State President Richard Linton. “This partnership is a significant step toward achieving that goal for southwest Kansas.”

The first new bachelor’s program will focus on agriculture, offering specializations in areas like animal science, crop science, or agribusiness. GCCC and K-State will soon conduct a community survey to guide the development of additional programs based on local industry needs.