SE Dallas News

Media Contact: Alex Lyda; alyda@dallascollege.edu

For immediate release — Jan. 13, 2023

(DALLAS) — Recognizing that industry-specific learning is often gained outside the classroom, Dallas College is partnering with insurance company giant State Farm to establish a novel corporate agreement on prior learning that will award credit to participating State Farm employees toward a certificate or a degree from Dallas College.

The agreement allows three job positions at State Farm to be eligible for college credit at Dallas College through Prior Learning Assessment, or PLA, which recognizes the academic value of State Farm training that is required to support specified job descriptions at State Farm.

Eligible State Farm employees who work in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and enroll in a minimum of six semester credit hours through Dallas College can receive up to 12 hours of credit for their work experience — paving the way for participating student/employees to be eligible to earn a Level 1 Insurance Representative Services Certificate from Dallas College.

To start, more than 600 State Farm employees may be eligible to participate in this PLA opportunity with Dallas College, with tuition assistance at Dallas College provided by State Farm. An additional 220 employees are expected to participate next year.

“The State Farm effort is a big lift for Dallas College and will have big payoffs to State Farm employees,” said Dr. Greg Morris, senior vice provost for academic services at Dallas College. “For many students, attending college involves juggling a job or other responsibilities as parents, caregivers and employees — all of which can interfere with the ability to attend class for a sustained period of time. One way to reduce barriers to completion is through prior learning assessments, and we are thrilled that State Farm's adult learners can move more quickly toward an associates degree with Dallas College through this innovative PLA.”

“As a company, we're committed to investing in future leaders through various initiatives, including continuing education programs,” said Angela Martin, State Farm, VPO Enterprise Care Center. “We work diligently to cultivate a diverse and inclusive environment where our employees can thrive. We're excited for what this program means for the future of State Farm and the DFW area as a whole.”

To begin the process of translating prior learning into the certificate, State Farm employees must meet with a success coach at Dallas College and complete a Dallas College admissions application, which may not be necessary if the State Farm employee has previously attended Dallas College.

“The State Farm PLA represents Dallas College's expanded commitment to work with closely with employers to meet industry workforce needs, and award credit where credit is due,” Dr. Morris added.

To get started, eligible State Farm employees are also encouraged to contact a State Farm representative at citylink@statefarm.com or contact a Dallas College student success coach to schedule an in-person visit via statefarmcollegecredit@dallascollege.edu or by visiting Dallas College/State Farm Employee Educational Programs.

About Dallas College

Dallas College, formerly the Dallas County Community College District, was founded in 1965 and consists of seven campuses: Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake and Richland. Dallas College offers online learning and serves more than 125,000 credit and continuing education students during the fall and spring semesters. Dallas College also offers dual credit for students in partner high schools and early college high schools throughout Dallas County. Students benefit from partnerships with local business leaders, school districts and four-year universities, and Dallas College offers associate degree and career/technical certificate programs in more than 100 areas of study, as well as a bachelor's degree in education. Based on annual enrollment, it is the largest community college in Texas.

About State Farm®

For 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been and continues to be to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and approximately 53,400 employees serve over 87 million policies and accounts — which includes auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 39 on the 2021 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com.

Original source can be found here.