Cal State Monterey Bay and Hartnell College have created a partnership program that provides high school students with a streamlined application process to both schools.

The Panther Otter Pathway Program will be offered to local high school students. Through one application, students enrolled at Hartnell can be admitted into the program and have guaranteed admission to CSUMB to finish their bachelor’s degree. The program is set to launch next fall.

“Since my arrival at (CSUMB), we have worked to strengthen the pathways to higher education through collaboration with our community college partners,” said President Vanya Quiñones in a news release regarding the program. “We are pleased to announce this new program with Hartnell College that further enhances social mobility in our communities and streamlines the process for students to continue their studies with us once they complete their associate for transfer degrees.”

The program will target high school seniors who haven’t completed the A-G requirements for acceptance into UC or CSU universities. The state’s public university systems require first-year students to have received a passing grade in multiple science, history, English and elective courses. Hartnell will perform general outreach through dual enrollment networks and partnerships with high school counselors and leaders in order to promote the program, according to Richard Morales, director of communications and marketing.

Through this program, students who have not completed these requirements still have a chance for admission to CSUMB. When a student completes the application process, they are simultaneously admitted to both schools, removing barriers for admission into a CSU as the CSU application fee is waived for students in the program.

Social mobility, which is how well a university prepares low-income students for success after graduation, is a big driving force for this partnership. CSUMB was recently ranked No. 1 for social mobility among Western regional universities in the U.S. News Best Colleges Rankings. Hartnell is also dedicated to this idea of upward mobility.

“The Panther Otter Pathway will ensure students earn their associate’s degree and continue seamlessly to earn a bachelor’s degree at CSUMB,” said Michael Gutierrez, Superintendent/President of Hartnell College in the news release. “The goal is to remove barriers in access to higher education and create a clear pathway to lead our students to economic and social mobility.”

The two institutions have always had a strong partnership as 10% of CSUMB’s current student population are Hartnell transfer students, according to Elizabeth Mihopoulos, assistant vice president for enrollment management at CSUMB. For the past two school years, the majority of CSUMB’s transfer students have come from Hartnell.

According to data from the California Department of Education, while 86% of California seniors graduate high school, only about 56% of them meet A-G requirements.

“Most students who graduate from high school in California have not completed the necessary coursework to make them eligible for admission to a CSU,” said Mihopoulos. “Many of those students never end up pursuing or completing a bachelor’s degree. We want to change that.”

By enrolling in the program, students are also guaranteed support services throughout their education. While enrolled at Hartnell, counselors will help students develop personalized learning plans with the goal of transferring to CSUMB, according to Mihopoulos. Before the transfer, students will have the opportunity to meet with transfer, academic and financial aid advisors at the university. Once they have transferred, students will have continued support services through the Panther Otter Pathway Program.

“By focusing on the development of our students, we empower them to become leaders and contributors to their communities,” said Morales. “This investment in education ultimately leads to a stronger, more vibrant community that places value on social mobility and economic success.”

“Education is a collaborative effort, and by partnering with CSUMB, we are creating a support network that improves educational experiences and community resources … by promoting education as an ongoing process, Hartnell College aims to create a community that values knowledge and growth, ensuring sustained progress and innovation,” said Morales.

The partnership is also expected to boost enrollment and graduation rates at both institutions. For CSUMB, the program comes at a time of positive enrollment growth which the university hopes to maintain going forward.

“The program will address equity gaps, particularly for Black and Latine students, because the data show that they are more likely to be deficient in the A-G requirements,” said Mihopoulos. “We believe that access to high-quality post-secondary education is a fundamental human right and necessary to increase upward social mobility within our community.”