When looking for higher education, many local students travel far to get it. But a new partnership is designed to offer students more educational programs right here at home.

Nearby Lincoln Memorial University has worked with the Southeastern Kentucky Community and Technical College system for years, offering education and business classes. Now all five campuses will offer programs through the Tennessee university.

“The whole intent is to really expand programming opportunities so that students in southeast Kentucky will have more choices,” says SKCTC president Bruce Ayers.

Both schools are taking a year to determine which programs will best fit each school. LMU spokeswoman Kate Reagan says courses may change based on the needs of the community.

“We're halting admissions in our programs at Southeast for just a year, so that we can study it and find ways that we can really deliver the total package to the people there,” says Reagan.

SKCTC President Bruce Ayers says the college is trying to do all they can to make higher education accessible to southern Kentucky.

“The price of gasoline has really had a tremendous negative impact on students who are commuting and so we're looking of course to lessen that impact some with this new arrangement,” says Ayers.

“It really completes our mission to serve the underserved of Appalachia by being able to bring our education into communities where we haven't been in the past,” says Reagan.

New courses will begin in the fall of 2009.

Lincoln Memorial is looking to offer distance learning, online courses, and on site classes at the community college campuses.