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The University of West Alabama (UWA) is opening its doors to students affected by the forthcoming closure of Birmingham-Southern College (BSC).

Through this special opportunity, UWA will allow students to transfer seamlessly and earn academic and housing scholarships at UWA, as they continue their studies in pursuit of bachelor’s degrees.

“We are very sorry to learn of the impending closure of Birmingham-Southern College (BSC), and we empathize with the students, faculty, staff, and alumni who are understandably hurt by this change in their lives,” said UWA president Ken Tucker. “We are committed to providing an outlet for BSC’s students, and we want to help them stay on track as they pursue their academic, extracurricular, and career goals.”

Birmingham-Southern College announced last week that it will shutter operations on May 31. The Rev. Keith D. Thompson, chairman of BSC’s board of trustees, said in a letter to the public that attempts to keep the college open have failed after the State Legislature failed to pass a bill that would have kept the college open.

“Today is also a terrible day for Birmingham, for the neighborhoods who have surrounded our campus for more than 100 years, and for Alabama,” Thompson said in the letter. “Through this challenging year and a half, we have talked a lot about BSC’s more than $90 million annual economic impact on Alabama, with $68 million of that right here in our city. Beyond that loss – which is enormous — the loss of a nationally ranked liberal arts college that has contributed so much to this state and to the world – and still had so much to give – is incalculable.

Admissions counselors are available to discuss scholarships available to any eligible BSC student who wishes to transfer to UWA. These competitive, attractive scholarships are renewable for up to four consecutive semesters. To be eligible for the academic scholarship, the transfer student must have a 3.0 or higher GPA and enroll as a full-time student in an on-campus program. Additional scholarship opportunities through UWA housing are available for BSC students who wish to live on campus at UWA and meet the criteria to have received academic scholarships.

Tucker said that UWA faculty and staff are standing by waiting to help students make the transition to an academic program that will help students save time and develop plans for moving forward, with their already successful career paths in mind.

“Our faculty and staff have the resources and partnerships in place to allow incoming students to transition from their existing coursework to a program at UWA,” Tucker said. “By offering attractive degree programs on campus and online, we can accommodate the needs of the students who are interested in continuing their degree pursuits with flexibility despite this unexpected change in their plans.”