(June 16, 2011)

Contact: Matt Bailey, Centenary News Services, 318.869.5120

Centenary, Iliff School of Theology explore partnership to provide graduate professional studies

Santa Fe, New Mexico (Centenary News Service) — Today Centenary College President Dr. David Rowe signed an agreement with Dr. David G. Trickett, President of Iliff School of Theology in Denver, CO, to explore a new graduate studies partnership between the two institutions.

The "Learning Bridge" agreement creates a joint working group to move toward the creation of a graduate certificate in Social Change. The partnership is an outgrowth of the Methodist Global Ethics Initiative intended to facilitate collaboration among the more than 700 Methodist-related institutions and to leverage the Methodist higher education connection to prepare principled leaders for a rapidly changing world. The two presidents signed the agreement during the proceedings of the 2011 Institute for Higher Education, sponsored by the United Methodist Church's General Board for Higher Education and Ministry.

"It is our hope," said Dr. Rowe, "that Centenary students completing the certificate would find the graduate professional study a strong complement to an undergraduate arts and sciences degree as well as a well-defined pipeline to continued study at a top-tier theological school. Working with a world-class institution like Iliff will provide innovative opportunities for our students and better prepare them to meet the leadership demands of the 21st century."

Representatives from the institutions will examine the feasibility and define the parameters for the new "Learning Bridge." Under the "21st Century Learning Bridge" concept, a student who earns the graduate certificate would then have a direct portal into further graduate study at Iliff. Once developed and approved, the partnership is slated to be implemented as early as the Fall 2012 semester, taking advantage of advances in learning technology to bring together students and faculty in Shreveport and Denver.

Iliff School of Theology is a graduate school related to the United Methodist Church with students from more than 30 faith and cultural backgrounds. It is one of 13 United Methodist Church seminaries in the United States.


About Centenary College of Louisiana

Centenary College is a private, four-year arts and sciences college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Centenary is one of 16 colleges and universities constituting the Associated Colleges of the South and has been recognized as "One of the Best 373 Colleges" by the Princeton Review and one of "America's Best Colleges" and one of "America's Best Private Colleges" by Forbes.com. In 2008 Centenary College celebrated 100 years in Shreveport and Bossier City.