Start at Johnson County Community College - finish at the University of Kansas Edwards Campus. That's the premise behind Start2Finish, a new educational partnership between JCCC and KU Edwards Campus.

Focusing on nontraditional students, the program ensures that a student's first class at JCCC counts toward a degree from the University of Kansas. Start2Finish students will begin at JCCC, graduate with an associate's degree and end up with a bachelor's degree from KU Edwards Campus. Counselors at both institutions will work with students to determine if each school's academic programs fit the students' goals and then guide them through the programs.

This is the first partnership between the two institutions, conveniently located just two miles apart along Quivira Road. The two offer complete campuses and student services and are each known for their dedication to academic excellence.

"We're so pleased to partner with the Edwards Campus on Start2Finish," said Terry A. Calaway, JCCC president. "This program provides yet another way for both institutions to provide excellent educational programs to the community."

"Start2Finish gives students a sense of possibility," said Bob Clark, vice chancellor, KU Edwards Campus. "It shows them the light at the end of the tunnel by giving them a route from their first day working on their associate's degree at JCCC to the last day completing their bachelor's degree at KU through the Edwards Campus."

The two schools also sponsor the Start2Finish 5K run each July. Runners start on the JCCC campus, head down Quivira, and finish at KU Edwards Campus, symbolizing what students do through Start2Finish.