Middle Georgia State University (MGA) announces the creation of a Strategic Partnerships office to work directly with businesses of all sizes, government, and various community organizations interested in helping their employees grow professionally by advancing their education through the University's fully online degree programs.
 
Dr. Melinda Robinson-Moffett is leading the office, part of the Division of Enrollment Management, as executive director. She and her staff are working to support the workforce needs of employers and help their employees complete their education goals through MGA Direct, Middle Georgia State’s online campus.
 
MGA Direct offers online bachelor's and master's degrees, as well as an aviation-related associate's degree. One of MGA Direct's first corporate alliances is with Delta TechOps, the maintenance, repair and overhaul division of Delta Air Lines headquartered at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.
 
Delta TechOps is committed to creating pathways for employees to progress professionally. The online aviation degree options at Middle Georgia State offer Delta TechOps employees low tuition and opportunities to convert training obtained through certain FAA licenses and the military into academic credit.
 
"Our new alliance with Delta TechOps is helping us visualize ways we can make MGA Direct a top choice for other employers who support flexible access to higher education for their workforce," said Jennifer Stenander, MGA's vice president for Enrollment Management. "We plan to significantly raise the profile of MGA Direct to employers who offer tuition reimbursement or other incentives to encourage employees to begin or complete degrees."
 
Robinson-Moffett, who previously was director of MGA’s Center for Career & Leadership Development, said companies that invest in employees by offering tuition assistance and encouraging them to pursue degrees or simply take some job-related courses tend to cultivate higher work satisfaction and a greater sense of loyalty among the people they employ.
 
"Employers benefit by cultivating on-the-job success no matter how large or small the company," she said. "One of our primary tasks will be to make the admissions process as smooth as possible and help MGA Direct develop flexible schedules and coursework that meet the specific needs of a given employer's workforce."
 
Robinson-Moffett holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Fort Valley State University, a master's in public administration from Troy University, and a doctorate in higher education leadership from Mercer University. Before joining MGA she worked in career services at Mercer. In 2018 she was inducted into Leadership Georgia.
 
The fully online degrees offered through MGA Direct were developed in consultation with regional business leaders. The programs are open to any individual who meets admissions standards; prospective students do not have to be working for a specific employer. Most courses offered through MGA Direct last eight weeks, which is shorter than the traditional semester and helps students complete degrees faster. Also, Middle Georgia State is one of the most affordable public state universities in Georgia. MGA Direct students, regardless of their state of residency, pay the same flat-rate online tuition for courses leading to bachelor's degrees. For a 3-credit-hour course, tuition is currently $390 plus fees.