Introducing TechConnect: Connecting Technical Education Students to an Associate Degree

By Emily Ross

Snow College has introduced a new transfer program to help Utah’s technical education students. The program, aptly named TechConnect, connects technical education students to an associate degree. TechConnect enables students from all eight Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) technical schools to transfer their technical credits to Snow College. The school applies those credits toward an Associate of Science degree which, once completed, is fully transferrable to any other public university in the state. The program is big news for those who studied at a technical college. Whether the credit was earned last semester or last decade, Snow College accepts their credit—eliminating the need for technical education students to start from scratch when pursuing an academic degree.

Snow College has introduced a new transfer program to help Utah’s technical education students. The program, aptly named TechConnect, connects technical education students to an associate degree. TechConnect enables students from all eight Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) technical schools to transfer their technical credits to Snow College. The school applies those credits toward an Associate of Science degree which, once completed, is fully transferrable to any other public university in the state. The program is big news for those who studied at a technical college. Whether the credit was earned last semester or last decade, Snow College accepts their credit—eliminating the need for technical education students to start from scratch when pursuing an academic degree.

TechConnect grew from an idea Snow College President Stacee McIff developed while serving as the Vice President for Technical Education and Workforce Engagement. In that role, she learned more about the outstanding work happening in Snow's technical programs and technical colleges around the state. President McIff developed a profound respect for their importance to both the local and statewide economy. In talking to colleagues at other Utah technical colleges, she learned that many students encounter barriers when transitioning from a technical certificate to traditional degree-granting institutions. Recognizing the need for a more direct and affordable pathway, she knew Snow College was the ideal institution in Utah to bridge this gap. She began to work to ensure that students who took technical classes at Snow could continue their education without losing any of their credits. After becoming president, President McIff spent nearly two years collaborating with Snow College’s faculty and staff as well as technical colleges around the state to develop a solution that no other school has been able to offer.

The program has proven beneficial for students like Ali Torgerson of St. George, Utah. Ali attended Dixie Technical College while earning her high school diploma and completed the Digital Design program in February 2024. Feeling unprepared to enter the career field, she decided to further her education. While exploring different schools, she found that many of them either wouldn't accept her existing tech credits or they wanted to apply them toward an unrelated associate degree. She spoke to Dixie Technical College president Jordan Rushton, who told Ali about the Snow College TechConnect program. He explained that Snow was willing to accept her tech credits and apply them toward an associate degree. Ali eagerly applied and now attends Snow College online. She is now on track to complete her associate degree this fall. Ali explains, “Before finding Snow College I felt so confused and discouraged, but I feel relieved knowing that with TechConnect I don’t have to start over.” After graduation, Ali plans to pursue a career in the digital field.

To earn an associate degree, students who transfer under TechConnect combines up to 30 technical education credits with 27-33 credits of general education courses taught at Snow. Students also take prerequisites in their chosen major, helping them to finish more quickly if they choose to transfer to a four-year university. These classes can be taken in person or online, making them the perfect fit for a variety of learners.

Snow College Provost Dr. Michael Austin is enthusiastic about the opportunities TechConnect provides. He said, “A student’s technical education never expires. Snow College will accept technical certificates earned 10, 20, or even 50 years ago for full transfer credit. We want this program to facilitate lifelong learning and degree completion at any point in a student’s professional life.”

Launching TechConnect at Snow College has had minimal impact on existing programs while creating immense opportunities for future students, aligning with Snow’s ultimate goal of boosting degree completion rates among Utah’s students. President McIff, expressing excitement for the program, stated, “TechConnect is the most innovative and meaningful pathway to a degree for technical education students. Snow College is the perfect way for them to continue their education at a very affordable cost. Most importantly, the technical education students will receive the customized, oneon-one care and guidance they have experienced at their tech college from our exceptional faculty and staff. This is what Snow College does best: meeting students where they are and helping them reach their goals. This program allows even more students to have the positively unique Snow College experience!”