Our community is gaining another educational resource as University of the Cumberlands opens a Florence campus, according to Dr. Larry Cockrum, Vice President of Academic Affairs for the university.
Dr. Cockrum shared information about the college and its new programs at a recent Florence Rotary meeting. He said, “The Northern Kentucky area was the best match for our expansion, based on local population growth, access to medical facilities, income potential, and the need for trained healthcare workers. “ The new location will be located at 410 Meijer Drive in Florence.
University of the Cumberlands was established in 1888 in Williamsburg, KY. The university is a small private Christian liberal arts college which currently offers undergraduate degrees in more than 40 major fields of study, as well as nine pre-professional programs, twelve graduate degrees, certifications in education, and online programs.
The university is bringing three programs of study to the Northern KY area: Master of Science in Physician Assistant, Doctor of Clinical Psychology, and Richard Knock School of Lifelong Learning.
The Master of Physician Assistant studies is a 24 month program with traditional classroom instruction and lab work, as well as clinical rotations. The physician assistant career track is one of the fastest growing fields with a forecast of 10 year job growth and median salary range of $92,000, according to CNN Money. The state of Kentucky projects a 37.4% increase in the number of PA jobs through 2018.
The Doctor of Clinical Psychology is a three year program which provides a foundation for postdoctoral training and licensure. According to Dr. Cockrum, the growth rate predicted for this profession over the next ten years is 22%, with an average salary of $72,000.
The Richard Knock School of Lifelong Learning is a fully online adult completion program for a bachelor’s degree in business administration, criminal justice, human services and psychology. Said Dr. Cockrum, “The idea of this program is to make education affordable for the working adult. Our program is about 75% less expensive than other private colleges nearby, about one third the cost of for-profit college classes online, and about half the cost of online undergraduate courses at state universities. “
Concluded Dr. Cockrum, “Why did we choose Florence as the location for our new campus? We did a market analysis comparing Lexington, Louisville, and Northern Kentucky. The best match for the University of the Cumberland’s programs is right here in Florence, and we know we will be a good fit for this area.”
For information about weekly meetings, guest speakers and community service opportunities of the Florence Rotary Club, contact Brad Shipe, President, at bradshipe@hotmail.com or (859) 282-7040.
Visit the group’s web site at www.florencerotary.org . Florence Rotary meets weekly on Mondays at noon at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Florence.
