February 18, 2025 3:40 a.m.
Officials say the Roseburg School District is following through on its commitment to develop innovative career pathways.
A district release said last Wednesday the school board agreed to pursue a unique partnership with Umpqua Community College.
The board of directors voted to move forward with a proposal to build an advanced medical pathways facility for Roseburg High School students on the UCC campus. The proposal would involve the district contributing up to $2.5 million for the construction of a facility that would be connected to UCC’s planned Welcome Center and Medical Careers Hub.
Superintendent Jared Cordon said, “This is a once in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only fully integrate with UCC’s advanced medical program and provide seamless career pathways for our students but to create a legacy of learning and workforce development for our entire community”.
The release said completion of the project will rest on a mutually agreed upon legal review and memorandum of understanding between the district and the college’s boards of directors.
The district’s share of the project would create a space built specifically for high school students taking dual-credit classes as they follow pathways leading to certifications, associate degrees and baccalaureate degrees in a number of healthcare fields.
In partnering with UCC on construction, the district would be able to provide students with access to a state-of-the-art faculty at a fraction of the cost of building a facility independently. RHS students pursuing advanced medical careers will train with specialized equipment, benefit from direct industry partnerships and follow a curriculum designed to meet workforce demands both local and beyond.
UCC expects to break ground on the facility this summer, with an estimated completion date of early 2027.
UCC President Dr. Rachel Pokrandt said, “This is an incredible opportunity to continue our integration efforts with the Roseburg School District”. Pokrandt said, “These career pathways support the future success of our medical providers through a strong workforce and our young people with careers that result in family supporting wages”.
Learn more about how UCC and Roseburg School District are providing opportunities for students to “Grow Here, Learn Here, Work Here” at: https://www.roseburg.k12.or.us/community/career-pathways
Superintendent Jared Cordon will talk more about the initiative on Inside Douglas County Wednesday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. on News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN.