Ursuline College’s accelerated degree-completion program, non-traditional students are making the grade
By Patricia Nugent
This month marks the season of graduation, with students processing to the stage to receive their degree and a handshake, moving their tassels from right to left and taking pictures with mom and dad. While commencement services haven’t changed over the decades, today’s average college student looks a little different.
Targeted toward people who have been out of high school, whether in the workforce or as stay-at-home moms or dads, Ursuline College’s Accelerated Program (UCAP) opens doors of opportunities for people to complete their bachelor’s degree, no matter how busy they are.
Flexible online courses are offered in five-week intervals. Currently the degrees available through UCAP include Business Management, Humanities, Nursing (RN to BSN), Psychology and Social Work.
“Since 1998, as a college within a college, we’ve built upon a legacy of focusing on adult learners who choose to attend college in a different way than traditional high school students,” says Brooke Scharlott, who is executive director of the program. “Oftentimes, our students may have started and stopped their education over the years. Our success rate is high because our dedicated advisors become champions and cheerleaders of these students, plugging them into the programs and helping them along the way. We cultivate those relationships to break down the barriers to getting a degree.”
Brooke says the Business Management degree is one of the most popular.
“Our students receive a well-rounded foundation in management, accounting, marketing and finance, also picking electives in the process that are meaningful to them,” she says.
Advocating for Adult Students
Kate Teichman is an impressive example of what a UCAP grad can achieve.
When she first found out about the program, Kate was in her 30s and was a stay-at-home mom. Her mother and aunt are Ursuline alumni, so she was familiar with the high caliber of private education.
“For many students, especially moms with small children, there is trepidation about going back to school. I wasn’t sure I could handle it,” she says. “But the administration here was welcoming and supportive. They reassured me every step of the way. There’s enough flexibility built into the program, so I could balance my home duties with class time. I loved it.”
Kate graduated with a degree in public relations in 2020 and ended up taking a job at Ursuline College, helping students who were much like her.
“It’s especially rewarding to advise these students, who come from such different backgrounds,” she adds. “I take great pride in acting as an advocate for them along their journey.”
On Becoming a Person with a Degree
Another well-known alumnae of the UCAP program—Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell—served as the commencement speaker of the 2020/2021 Ursuline graduating classes last month.
Twenty-five years ago, after an experience where an employment agency labeled her resume “PWD,” which she discovered stood for “person without a degree,” Mayor Blackwell decided to change that to “BA” by earning her Bachelor of Arts degree from Ursuline College.
During her speech, she gave thanks and a shout-out to her UCAP Advisor Laurel Yuratovac.
“We’re all gifted and talented at something,” she said. “There are those of us who need a little help from others to help us find the motivation, the rhythm, the balance and the confidence to go for it. Perhaps a little kindness might work. Patience. Compassion. Love. They worked for me. I found it all when I got to Ursuline College. Everyone I came into contact with at this college, believed in me, the PWD.”
Find out more about the UCAP program and apply online at Ursuline.edu/admission/accelerated-admission. For more information, please call 440-684-6130. Ursuline College is located at 2550 Lander Road, in Pepper Pike. Financial aid is available for UCAP students. Credit hours are affordably priced, comparable to a state university.