Aspiring engineers now have a smoother transition for receiving postsecondary education thanks to a partnership between two local institutions.

Milligan College and Northeast State Community College administration signed an agreement into effect Friday morning inside Milligan’s Little Hartland Welcome Center that will provide students a seamless and faster start to receive a bachelor’s degree in Milligan’s electrical or mechanical engineering programs. 

“We’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with Northeast State,” Milligan President Dr. Bill Greer said. “For many years, we have seen transfer students from Northeast and we’re glad to be building upon that partnership with engineering.” 

With Friday’s agreement now in effect, NeSCC students looking to transfer to Milligan’s program now have an option to co-enroll and take core pre-engineering and engineering courses. 

NeSCC President James King said the partnership will allow students an opportunity to receive education from Milligan instructors that have previously worked in different well-renowned fields, including NASA and West Point. King, who recently assumed the role of president of NeSCC, knows the landscape of technical opportunities locally all too well, being one of the key cogs to spearhead the development of the new Tennessee College of Applied Technology campus in Stoney Creek. 

“This is a great opportunity for our students,” King said, adding the engineering programs at Milligan help address a need of engineering jobs that are in high demand throughout the region. 

Milligan is currently in the second year of offering their engineering program, which is a four-year program offered on the main campus, the only type of facility within a two-hour radius in the Tri-Cities. 

Recently, the college dedicated their new labs in honor of some of the top supporters and businesses within the region, including Eastman, NN Inc., Nuclear Fuels Services and TPI Corporation. 

The college’s engineering program is directed by Dr. Greg Harrell, a lead adviser for the United Nations and the U.S. Department of Energy. Along with NASA and West Point, Milligan’s engineering faculty have taught at other institutions, including Virginia Tech and Russ College of Engineering and Technology at Ohio University. 

As the partnership between both institutions continued to grow, Greer added he was excited to see the benefits that students of both college will be able to utilize. 

“With this arrangement, they’ll be able to start at Northeast and then complete their degrees at Milligan, where we offer the only mechanical and electrical engineering majors in the region,” Greer said. “We look forward to seeing many of their students join our engineering program.”

NeSCC students will be able to take advantage of a school that was recently recognized for graduation rates and costs by national publications, ranking high among institutions in the country.

Dr. Garland Young, vice president for academic affairs, added the partnership between the college is looking to grow into more over the years. 

“We’re grateful for the chance to collaborate with Northeast State in this venture, and we look forward to discussing additional mutually-beneficial partnerships with them in the near future,” he said in a statement issued to the Elizabethton Star. 

Visit milligan.edu/engineering to learn more information about the program.