Butler University recently announced that it will offer a two-year degree program through the Come to Believe Network (CTB). The program addresses problems with access to college admission and completion for underserved students through allowing them to obtain an associate degree with no debt; most enrolled students are also eligible to earn a bachelor’s degree for less than $10,000.
“Butler University was founded in 1855 on the fundamental principle that women and people of color should have equal access to higher education as white men, a radical vision for the era,” Butler President James Danko said. “Now, almost 150 years on, unequal access to higher education persists among certain segments of our population. It’s a significant problem that demands our attention. The ‘Come to Believe’ model is not only innovative in its approach, but it also has proven outcomes, resonating deeply with Butler’s original mission.”
CTB is a nonprofit that works with universities to create opportunities for often overlooked students to obtain two-year and four-year degrees. Students enrolled at colleges using the CTB model graduate at four to six times the national average for two-year colleges. Over 80% of CTB graduates transfer to four-year schools; 75% graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
Butler’s two-year degree is accessible to Pell-eligible and undocumented students with a high potential to succeed with support and who otherwise would possibly not attend college.
Butler is the third university to join the CTB program and will open enrollment next year for its fall 2025 semester. Students enrolled in the program can earn an associate degree in business or allied health.
“Butler University is exactly the type of competitive school many underserved students aspire to attend and could succeed at with the right support,” Steve Katsouros, founder, president and CEO of CTB, said. “This visionary institution recognizes how CTB’s model can empower more young students in the Indianapolis metro area to fulfill their potential through the promise of higher education.”
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