View story at The News & Advance...Juniors and seniors at Sweet Briar College will have the opportunity to secure a spot in two master's degree in engineering programs after a recent partnership.

Sweet Briar College has entered into two agreements — with Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia — to try and accelerate students’ paths to obtaining their master's in engineering.
In an interview, Sweet Briar President Mary Pope Hutson told The News & Advance she “really appreciates” the partnership and commitment by UVa  and Virginia Tech.

“These partnerships will allow our students to access programs in the commonwealth and the public sector that are not only critically important for Sweet Briar students, but really, the broader context of advancing women in engineering overall,” she said.

Sweet Briar College and Virginia Tech have signed an articulation agreement that will make the two partners part of the “Direct to Tech” (D2T) program, the college announced previously in a news release. 

The partnership enables qualified Sweet Briar students to secure an offer of admission to Virginia Tech’s Master of Engineering graduate programs in computer science or computer engineering before completing their undergraduate degrees, effectively reducing the timeline of the admissions process and facilitating an early transition into graduate school.

In the release announcing the partnership, Hutson said she is thrilled to join Virginia Tech in its D2T program.

“It will enhance our students’ opportunities by putting women on track to take leadership roles in computer engineering and computer science, technological fields that are of critical importance to Virginia and to the nation," she said. 

Julie Ross, dean of engineering at Virginia Tech, echoed those sentiments in the release.
“This will help our institutions provide additional pathways for women to pursue graduate degrees in fields where they are traditionally underrepresented,” Ross said.

Current Sweet Briar students majoring in any field, can apply to the D2T programs in their senior year.

To be eligible for admission, the students must complete certain prerequisite courses by the second semester of their junior year and maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.0, as applicants will apply online and submit official transcripts, but will not have to pay an application fee or submit GRE scores.

The partnership agreement, effective immediately, will continue for a five-year term. At the completion of the term, it will automatically renew for another five years, the college said in its release.

UVa partnership
Sweet Briar College also announced a partnership with the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science to establish a collaborative program called "UVAccelerate," facilitating early entry for Sweet Briar students into Master of Engineering degree programs at UVa.

Similarly to the Virginia Tech partnership, Sweet Briar students can apply for graduate admission to UVa during their junior year and begin taking graduate-level courses during their senior year, accelerating the completion of their master's degree.

Sweet Briar students who have been accepted into the program, will be assigned a dedicated advisor at UVa's School of Engineering and Applied Science.

UVa engineering advisors will collaborate with students and their Sweet Briar advisor to recommend suitable UVa engineering graduate-level courses for their senior year.
These courses are taken in tandem with undergraduate courses at Sweet Briar, and can be taken in person, in Charlottesville or online through the Virginia Engineering Online program. In the fifth year of the "4+1 program," students who have earned their undergraduate degree from Sweet Briar will go directly into their designated UVa Master of Engineering program.
UVa President James Ryan said in the college’s release he’s grateful to Sweet Briar for working with them on the new partnership.

“I’m delighted to welcome Sweet Briar students to our excellent Engineering School. I look forward to seeing the many ways they will contribute to the UVA community and to their chosen field,” Ryan added.

Jennifer L. West, dean of the school of engineering and applied science at UVa, said the program is a cost-effective option for Sweet Briar students who want a head start in the engineering field, a field she said women are "historically underrepresented."

“This partnership is a testament to both institutions' commitment to expanding access and equity in STEM and we look forward to welcoming Sweet Briar students to the University,” she said in the release.

The partnership agreement with UVa is effective immediately and will remain so for three years, which may be amended or extended.

Hutson told The News & Advance that she's "overjoyed" by the two partnerships.
“This is a very positive public-private partnership in the Commonwealth of Virginia," she said.