The Texan to Red Raider program is a unique partnership with Texas Tech University (TTU). This partnership provides current SPC students with a pathway to guaranteed admission at TTU. Students enroll in courses concurrently at SPC and TTU, guaranteeing admission to TTU as a transfer student.
Benefits of going through the program is students will take degree-specific courses at TTU while earning their associate degree at SPC. The program will also allow students to position themselves to graduate from TTU sooner, saving time and money.
Students will also maintain eligibility for TTU transfer student scholarships and can take advantage of TTU athletic events, recreational facilities, and student organizations.
In order to participate in the Texan to Red Raider program, students will need to have completed 30 semester credit hours at SPC.
Interested students will still have to pay TTU’s $75 application fee. SPC will send copies of any documents required for admission by TTU at no cost.
Students in the Texan to Red Raider program will have a bill at SPC and a bill at TTU once they have registered for appropriate coursework. Payment will need to be made at each institution separately.
Texas Tech University will start their academic semesters before South Plains College, because of this, participants in the Texan to Red Raider program will be expected to meet all TTU registration deadlines.
Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Ryan Gibbs has stated in a previous South Plains College (SPC) Board of Regents meeting “As part of our Texan to Red Raider agreement that we are still building and growing, we started having conversations with the Texas Tech [Edward E.] Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering,” explained Gibbs. “They actually approached us last semester and wanted to build a more robust relationship with our pre-engineering program here at South Plains College.”
Gibbs added that TTU is wanting to build on the relationship because of the quality of pre-engineering students SPC continues to produce.
A plan is being made to hold an Engineering Academy Day at TTU with roughly 50 preengineering students from SPC. The event would allow the students to get an in-depth tour of all the engineering programs, labs and facilities. Additionally, the students touring the college would be able to speak to faculty, advisors and speak to students.
“It really is the next step in building that relationship with the College of Engineering,” said Gibbs. “This will allow our students to feel comfortable on day one once they make that transition over there.”
Another opportunity presented itself regarding the relationship with TTU. Gibbs explained that TTU has been having a difficult time finding classes for all of their students that are currently enrolled there. It has become difficult teaching all freshmen and sophomore level courses as it has become hard making enough or having enough sections to do that.
Gibbs explained that their faculty wants to teach junior and senior level courses rather than the freshman and sophomore level courses.
“We happen to be experts in teaching freshmen and sophomore level courses,” said Gibbs.
As a result, the faculty and staff in the pre-engineering department elected to take on the task of teaching those courses. In turn, a dynamics class was put together along with an electrical circuits and analysis class with a lab.
Those two courses were open to SPC students currently enrolled as well. Gibbs added that there are currently 20 TTU students enrolled in the two courses.
“This is a step towards the success funding that we get which is the dual enrolled aspect when the student is enrolled with us at a certain level and then they also take classes at a four-year institution,” explained Gibbs. “It works both ways either they’re full time with us and they go to Texas Tech or they’re full time with Texas Tech and they come to us.”
Gibbs added that this update to the program strengthens the bonds between the colleges as TTU is the number one transfer partner for SPC and it is where 75% of SPC students identify where they want to transfer.
As part of their continuing efforts to make sure that they are aligned properly with Texas Tech and then to the benefit of the students a transfer summit is scheduled for April 4 between SPC and TTU.
The event will be the fourth of its kind and consists of faculty and staff to meet from both institutions and have conversations.
“We just make sure that the lines of communication are staying open and that our students aren’t surprised when they show up at Texas Tech,” explained Gibbs.