Dr. Brian Shonk (pictured), chancellor at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville (UACCB), told the Batesville Rotary Club Monday that when Deborah Frazier recently retired, she left the college in a very good position.
Out of 22 community colleges in the state, Shonk told Rotarians UACCB has the fifth highest graduation rate as well as retention rate. It is also the fifth lowest in cost to attend. And the graduation and retention rates have doubled over the last five to six years.
Shonk, who took over from Frazier on Jan. 1, came from the state of Florida and has been at UACCB almost nine years.
He noted when he came to UACCB, the welding program had about 2,000 square feet of space split between laboratories and classrooms. With the demand for welders growing from Bad Boy, Intimidator, and other businesses, there is now 15,000 square feet of space with $1.5 million in equipment. There are currently 40 to 45 students in the welding program, he said.
Dr. Zach Perrine, UACCB’s vice chancellor for student affairs, told the group about a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville that allows a graduate of UACCB to transfer to Fayetteville and keep the same low tuition rate that the student had at UACCB.
Shonk emphasized that costs should not prevent anyone from attending UACCB. There are federal programs, institutional programs, scholarships, state programs, and veterans benefits, among others, that help fund a student’s way.
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