With UC students (back) are Justin G. Roy, GCU dean of admissions; Joseph R. Marbach, Ph.D., GCU president; PercyLee Hart, RSM, UC president; and Jennifer Dixon, UC director of school counseling (front, left to right).
Georgian Court University and Union Regional Catholic High School have announced a new guaranteed admissions agreement, making it easier for students at the Scotch Plains-based school to get into college. The new GCU–UC agreement, which goes into effect for the Fall 2017 semester, offers UC students a seamless transition to Georgian Court and is the first of its kind at the 802-student high school.
“We are excited to have come north into the Archdiocese of Newark,” said GCU President Joseph R. Marbach, Ph.D., during the signing ceremony. “We’re equally excited to engage in this relationship to create opportunities for students and families who value Catholic education.”
The Georgian Court–Union Catholic guaranteed admissions agreement is the latest among GCU’s growing list of partner high schools. In 2016, the university began working with Catholic high schools throughout the region as part of its Catholic Schools Initiative, an effort to strengthen Catholic outreach, provide additional scholarships, and offer a range of admissions services.
Partnering for Accessibility, Affordability
In addition to ensuring access to a quality education, both institutions are equally concerned about making sure students graduate.
“The guaranteed admissions agreement directly benefits UC students who are looking to continue their education by providing seamless admissions and financial aid processes, early academic advising, and increased scholarships,” explained Justin G. Roy, GCU dean of admissions. “We want to provide students with a great Catholic education that both maximizes their investment and their time.”
Union Catholic and Georgian Court Create “Synergy”
The new agreement signed by GCU’s Dr. Marbach, and Union Catholic President Sister PercyLee Hart, RSM, also reflects their shared commitment to providing more meaningful, viable options for those pursuing Catholic higher education.
“By entering into this, both institutions will continue to offer students the advantages of our shared mission of Catholic education and preparing students to thrive in the real, virtual, and spiritual world,” said Sister PercyLee, a 1967 graduate of Georgian Court. “It’s an opportunity that cannot help but create a synergistic effect.”
Sister PercyLee, a former chemist, likes to think of the partnership in mathematical terms.
“In the traditional sense, 2+2 equals four, but in this case, it’s far more than that. When GCU and UC come together, there is synergy—the effect is greater than each of us going it alone.”
About Union Catholic Regional High School
On October 14, 1961, groundbreaking ceremonies were held on a 20-acre tract on Martine Avenue in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. The following September, 148 boys and 142 girls were transported by bus from 13 Union County communities to begin their studies in a two-story, partially completed building. The Boys’ School and the Girls’ School were separate institutions, with their own administration and faculty.
Now that the two schools have merged, Union Catholic Regional High School prepares a diverse student body to fulfill their college and career goals by cultivating the students’ achievement of academic standards of excellence within a value-centered environment, strong in its commitment to our core values (respect, responsibility, honesty, compassion, and community), and to the establishment of a community of faith and love in the Catholic tradition.
Within a cutting-edge, innovative, and technologically infused educational environment, Union Catholic develops and celebrates the unique gifts and talents of each student. Its strong programs in academics, athletics, activities, and service prepare students for life in the real, spiritual, and virtual worlds.
