Peirce College Signs Partnerships with Eight Philadelphia High Schools

Philadelphia students with high academic achievement can qualify for scholarships

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Peirce College recently signed partnership agreements with eight Philadelphia high schools. Students with high academic achievement from these high schools will be granted automatic conditional acceptance to Peirce during their final year and will qualify for a $1,500 annual scholarship, if they choose to enroll at Peirce.

“The programs Peirce has been adding to its portfolio recently are popular entry-level career programs, such as accounting, health information technology, healthcare, and human resource management. Our programs have always provided career-related pathways”

The schools are Boys Latin of Philadelphia, Creative Learning Academy, El Centro, Franklin Towne Charter, Mastery Charter, Philadelphia Academy Charter School, World Communications Charter School and Youth Build Charter School.

The high school partnership initiative is part of Peirce College’s strategic initiative to reconnect with the city and region and to increase enrollment of traditional-age students who are looking for a non-traditional college experience.

Peirce offers a real solution to younger Philadelphia students who want to study, work and stay in Philadelphia after they graduate, says Peirce President and Chief Executive Officer James J. Mergiotti.

“For the student who is coming out of high school in the city, we offer a nurturing and supportive environment that can help them achieve success. Peirce is positioned best to serve students who are serious about getting career-related degrees and want the flexibility to work while attending college,” Mergiotti said.

Mergiotti stated that a number of college students also transfer to Peirce from other institutions because of their need for a non-traditional learning environment. “Traditional institutions are often out of reach financially or are offering a higher education experience that does not fit students who are balancing work, life, and college,” Mergiotti added.

Many inner city school students tend to stay in Philadelphia for their secondary education. This is due, in part, to the need for students to support themselves, in some capacity, while attending college. A number of the high school students are also first-generation college seekers.

Mergiotti added that charter schools are a good match for Peirce because many of them have introduced some elements of online programming into their curricula. Peirce was one of the pioneers of online study for higher education.

Another plus for local high school graduates is Peirce College’s expanded offering of degree programs within the last two years. A number of those programs are in growth sectors in and around the Philadelphia marketplace. It is what Patricia A. Rucker, Ed.D., Peirce Senior Vice President, Academic Advancement & Provost, calls a natural fit.

“The programs Peirce has been adding to its portfolio recently are popular entry-level career programs, such as accounting, health information technology, healthcare, and human resource management. Our programs have always provided career-related pathways,” Rucker said.

“We want people to know Peirce is a choice for Philadelphians, either out of high school or as they move through or return to the workforce, when they decide they need a degree,” Mergiotti added.

"The Mayor's Office of Education commends Peirce College on the High School Partnership initiative. This is not only a wonderful way to make sure students can afford college; it is also a high school reform strategy because it underscores the importance of academics during the high school years,” said Dr. Lori Shorr, Chief Education Officer for the City of Philadelphia. “Congratulations to Peirce College and the eight Philadelphia high schools that have agreed to be partners in this initiative."

About Peirce College

Peirce College offers bachelor’s and associate degree programs in the areas of Business, Healthcare, Information Technology and Paralegal Studies. Peirce College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104 (phone: [phone]). The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs accredits the College's business program and the Paralegal Studies program is approved by the American Bar Association.

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