GVSU, Henry Ford College sign first transfer agreement with 17 options for in-demand career pathways

Top Photo: Leaders from GVSU and Henry Ford College are pictured at Michigan Central following an articulation agreement signing.

Grand Valley and Henry Ford College in Dearborn have signed 17 new articulation agreements, providing new pathways for Henry Ford students to complete bachelor’s degrees in GVSU’s College of Computing with no lost credits after earning their associate degrees.

During a signing ceremony on Oct. 22 at Michigan Central in Detroit, presidents of GVSU and HFC praised the unique partnership as one that will save students money while allowing them to choose pathways that allow them to complete their bachelor’s degree at GVSU’s West Michigan campuses or, for programs offered online through GVSU Online, from Southeast Michigan.

“The data is staggering in terms of the need for these programs,” GVSU President Philomena V. Mantella said. “These are the programs in which 89% of Michigan jobs will require these kinds of digital skills. So, we're excited that we're doing the right thing for Michigan, the right thing for our students.”

Henry Ford College President David M. Knezek Jr. said the agreements play to the strengths of both institutions and provide students with a more seamless pathway.  

“These new transfer pathways will allow Henry Ford College to provide new opportunities for students to continue their education, while supporting employers in Southeast Michigan who are in need of talent,” Knezek said. “I’m grateful for this new partnership with Grand Valley State University and excited about the potential to expand on it as we seek to support our local economy.”

Through the agreements, Henry Ford students who earn associate degrees in computer science, software engineering or cybersecurity will have clear pathways to bachelor’s degrees in GVSU’s College of Computing in artificial intelligence, computer science, cybersecurity, human-centered computing, information systems, information technology and software engineering.

College of Computing Dean Marouane Kessentini said the agreements remove the guesswork from transferring.

“For a student, the promise is simple: start at Henry Ford College, finish at Grand Valley and lose nothing along the way — no lost credit, no repeated courses,” Kessentini said. “These 17 pathways were built course by course with Henry Ford College faculty, so a student in Dearborn can choose artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software engineering or any of our computing degrees and know exactly how to get there. And when they arrive, they step into the Shipyard, where every student builds real projects with real partners.”

The pathways lead into GVSU’s College of Computing, home of the cross-college  Computing+X initiative, which pairs deep expertise in computing with a second field so graduates have the digital skills employers are demanding and can apply them responsibly, opening new job opportunities after graduation.

The new pathways also pave the way for Henry Ford College students to explore GVSU’s Blue Dot Ecosystem, a network that brings together students, educators, businesses, nonprofits and community leaders to build digital skills, encourage new ideas and solve real-world problems.

“We believe students should have clear and affordable pathways for a bachelor's degree, regardless of where they begin their college experience,” GVSU Provost Jennifer Drake said. “We want students who begin at Henry Ford College and continue at Grand Valley to see themselves as Lakers from the beginning. This agreement provides a clear pathway, credit by credit, so students know how their coursework will move them towards a degree.”

Each pathway, with its course-by-course guide, will be available to students and advisors at GVSU’s community college pathways website .