Nov 20, 2017 3 min read

A small community college can make a big difference in the community.

That’s why the decision earlier this year by Westmoreland County Community College to close its Greene County Education Center appeared to be a major blow to the region and its students.

The college cited declining enrollment in recent years. Only 66 students participated in classes during the final semester before the satellite center closed in May. The center began in 1999 with classes at the former East Franklin school and eventually moved into a beautiful new building at EverGreene in 2006.

Over the next decade, the center gave local students – who couldn’t immediately go to a major college or university – the opportunity to earn a two-year degree or give them the confidence to eventually attend a four-year school.

Although that dream didn’t end when Westmoreland closed its satellite classroom, it made furthering one’s education in Greene County more difficult. The only other option, really, was to go to the school’s main campus in Youngwood, a lengthy drive for most in the county.

But behind the scenes, Greene County’s commissioners and administrators from all five school districts were working to court a new school. They finally returned with good news Thursday when the commissioners announced they had reached a dual enrollment agreement with the Community College of Beaver County to begin a new educational program.

The county plans to supplement the curriculum with a $50,000 annual donation, the same it had given to Westmoreland for many years.

Commissioner Dave Coder called it a “home run” for the county. Fellow Commissioner Blair Zimmerman was a little more cautious, explaining that there still is more work to be done to finalize the agreement and implement the classroom programs.

Still, it’s a great development for Greene County.

The talk now is that various “academies” could form, with the first one focusing on criminal justice. There are also various partners being discussed, including Waynesburg University and Greene County Career and Technology Center.

What shouldn’t be lost in the announcement is it will give students an alternative to typical college education, as Carmichaels Area Superintendent John Menhart points out. He noted the programs will hopefully give students more opportunities immediately upon graduating from high school.

It gives students a chance when a four-year college isn’t an option, whether it’s due to the high cost of higher education or other reasons.

“They can focus on their career path so when they graduate, they’re already employable or well on their way,” he said.

That’s no small thing for Greene County.