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RACC & Albright address shortages
Addressing a 16-year high in global talent shortages, a new seamless path from associate to master’s degree has been created through an articulation agreement between Reading Area Community College (RACC) and Albright’s School of Professional Studies. The agreement enables community college graduates to earn a master’s degree in a little over two years, as compared to the 10-year national average. Academic scholarships will be awarded to qualified RACC students admitted to Albright. “This innovative new pathway is the first of its kind, and it couldn’t come at a more important time,” said Albright President Jacquelyn S. Fetrow, Ph.D. Although a small number of pathways exist for associate degree students to earn advanced degrees in a single field of study (such as nursing), the RACC-to-Albright pathway addresses skilled labor shortages across a range of fields, from business and marketing to psychology research and education.“Right now, three out of four employers across all major industries are reporting difficulty finding the talent they need,” said Fetrow. “This fall, the National Education Association estimated a shortage of roughly 300,000 teachers and staff across the nation, particularly in rural districts where special education and STEM teachers are in high demand. This new pathway aims to address that shortage and others like it by helping working adults shift into high demand roles more quickly.” “We’ve built this innovative pathway to empower adults to earn multiple degrees at a top-ranked institution, faster and for less than just a bachelor’s degree at most other colleges,” said Boris Vilic, dean of Albright’s School of Professional Studies. “The pathway allows students to complete a bachelor’s and master’s for the cost of a single degree at another college.”

Albright honored at United Nations meeting
President Jacquelyn S. Fetrow, Ph.D., and Adelle Schade, Albright’s dean of pre-college and summer programs and founder of Total Experience Learning®, attended a December meeting of the United Nations in New York, honored for their work during the International Year of Glass 2022. Albright’s first International K-12 Educators Forum was included in the report back to United Nations delegates during the meeting. A United Nations subcommittee for International Year of Glass 2022 chose Albright’s Total Experience Learning to hold the first International K-12 Educators Forum, which featured Albright’s innovative model for K-12 educators in glass and materials science. During the event, delegates from five countries and four U.S. states visited the college and nearby school districts this past fall to explore the learning model in action.

Adelle Schade earns community awards
Adelle Schade, Albright’s dean of pre-college and summer programs and founder of Total Experience Learning,® has been named a recipient of the Whitaker Center’s Women in STEM Game Changer award. The Whitaker Center recognizes women in Central Pennsylvania who have made an impact in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math through the 2022 Women of Impact: Celebrating Women in STEM awards program. The Game Changer award is bestowed on a woman who has made an impact in their STEM field with an emphasis on inspiring others in the community. Schade has also been named a 2023 Berks County Take the Lead winner by the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. Take the Lead is a unique leadership program that fosters mentorship with distinguished women leaders from the community whose work and achievements make the world a better place.