Riverland Community College and Minnesota State University Mankato signed a memorandum of understanding Friday to allow northern Iowa residents to attend the two institutions at Minnesota resident prices.

Called Future Mavericks, it allows northern Iowa students to attend Riverland and then MSU Mankato to get their bachelor’s degree at the tuition set for in-state residents.

MSU Mankato President Richard Davenport and Riverland President Adenuga Atewologun signed the agreement at the Albert Lea campus of Riverland Community College.

“There is a new day here at Riverland,” Davenport said.

The Future Mavericks program germinated at a college presidents’ conference. The idea was planted that Riverland and MSU Mankato should work together to recruit more northern Iowa students to their institutions.

And that’s exactly what the Future Mavericks program facilitates, said David Jones, MSU Mankato Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.

Davenport said that he always wondered why MSU Mankato doesn’t attract more Iowa students. Many people have asked him why MSU Mankato didn’t offer northern Iowa students in-state tuition rates, he said.

Thirty percent of MSU Mankato students are transfer students, Davenport said, so transfer students are nothing unusual. Instead, he said the Future Mavericks program will bolster access and affordability for northern Iowa students, as MSU Mankato has reasonable in-state tuition rates.

With tuition and fees, 12 to 18 credits is about $3,800 per semester for a Minnesota resident. Riverland tuition and fees for 12 credits is just over $2,200 per semester for a Minnesota resident.

Davenport said this program is trying to “knock down” barriers for students and said MSU Mankato only has an agreement like this with Riverland.

“We’ve never had this sort of synergy,” Davenport said.

Atewologun said that this agreement “signifies a lot more than collaboration” and said it is a pleasure to work with Mankato.

There is a national challenge to meet workforce needs, Atewologun said. This program aims to reduce that as it opens more doors for students and creates a unity of focus.

“We are collectively helping the nation,” Atewologun said.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by Davenport; Atewologun; Jones; MSU Mankato Provost Marilyn Wells; Riverland Vice President of Student Affairs Mary Davenport; Riverland Dean of Students Gary Schindler.

The Future Mavericks program goes into effect for the coming fall semester.