ROSEBURG, Oregon – Starting this fall term, Umpqua Community College (UCC) will welcome Rogue Credit Union (RCU) to its campus. Founded in 1956 as a teacher’s credit union, RCU will establish its eighth school-based branch in the soon-to-be-named campus store. The UCC branch is RCU’s second collegiate branch and will be operated by students.
We’re really excited to have students involved in UCC’s branch, RCU Assistant Branch Manager Chelsea Buckbee said. Rogue really likes to support students since Rogue was started by teachers.
The campus branch is partnering with UCC’s Business Technology department to integrate the Financial Services certificate program. The one-year certificate, at a total of 26 credits, can be completed in conjunction with UCC’s articulation agreement with Southern Oregon University (SOU). It means UCC students will have the ability to transfer those credits to SOU to pursue a bachelor’s degree. As an added bonus, a student who works at the UCC branch has the ability to transfer to SOU’s RCU branch.
With Rogue being available for students to work with, they’ll be able to get the real world experience while taking the courses, Toni Clough, UCC’s Business program chair, said. They’ll understand what it’s like being in the credit union or banking industry. They can take the knowledge they’ve learned and continue on as they develop professionally with their certification.
Under the supervision of an RCU employee, students will operate the branch in the same way as any other credit union. The new branch will offer training, experience, and further career development for the students participating in the program.
We already have dual-credit with the high schools, so some of the courses can be taken while students are in high school, Clough said. So we have a good pathway from high school to earning a bachelor degree. It’s a great opportunity for students, even if they may not have thought about entering the credit union or banking business as a career. It’s a good, short way to get an education and get employed. But if they do want to go the long route of continuing their education and want to go into management, this affords them that nice step-in that won’t cost them very much money with a nice clear path of employment.
This is a great opportunity for partnership, Buckbee, who is a UCC alum, said. We want to be involved in the community.
The new credit union isn’t the only change coming to the campus store as the renovations go beyond the addition of the RCU branch. See related story: Renovations Write New Chapter for Bookstore
About Umpqua Community College
Nestled in the beautiful North Umpqua River Valley, Umpqua Community College is the regional center for higher education in Douglas County, Oregon. UCC provides high quality college degree programs, workforce development, and community learning opportunities.
Contact
Toni Clough
Chair, Associate Professor, Business
Phone: 541-440-7790