State troopers can get up to 12 credits free at PennWest under new agreement

By KELLEN STEPLER
TribLive

Successfully completing the State Police Academy can now count as many as 12 credits at Pennsylvania Western University.

The credits apply to criminal justice programs at PennWest’s campuses in California, Clarion and Edinboro, and its online-only classes. Current and prospective PennWest students who complete the academy are eligible to receive credit from the academy, as are academy graduates who later enroll at the university.

“State Police Academy graduates bring extensive training, discipline, and practical experience to the classroom,” said Christopher Wydra, professor and chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, History and Politics.

“Recognizing that experience as academic credit gives them a meaningful head start toward completing a PennWest degree, with flexible on-campus and online options that can accommodate the demands of a career in public service.”

While state troopers are no longer required to hold college degrees, PennWest officials believe there’s an appetite for higher education among troopers who have completed the academy, and there are benefits for them to do so.

“It’s the personal goal to finish their degree, and provide an opportunity to complete their degree to promote or advance in leadership,” Wydra said. “To have them in our program as students, with their experience and expertise, in a classroom with traditional students, would be very beneficial.”

Gov. Josh Shapiro in 2023 dropped the college requirement for many governmental jobs, state troopers included, in an effort to grow the applicant pool during a nationwide law enforcement staffing shortage. Instead, the educational requirement for cadets is a high school diploma or GED certificate.

Since the requirement was dropped, the state police have reported a 60% increase in cadet applicants. Half of the state troopers accepted into and graduated from the State Police Academy after the change took effect would not have been able to if the requirement had not been eliminated.

Still, higher education officials tout that there are benefits to law enforcement professionals who have a college degree. Police officers with college degrees are more likely to be promoted and work in specialized units, research indicates; and those same officers generally have less disciplinary issues and instances of misconduct compared to those without degrees.

“This is a pathway that students can come at a higher rank or a higher pay,” said Bob Mehalik, associate provost and graduate dean at PennWest. “Overall that’s our goal, that we prepare students for these types of opportunities.”

Chris Caracino, a state police spokesman, said the agency continues to expand recruitment opportunities for future troopers through innovative agreements with colleges and universities throughout the state. Locally, Saint Vincent College, and Slippery Rock and Waynesburg universities, offer similar programs.

“Programs like these also help support local communities,” Mehalik said. “There is a shortage of law enforcement officers and any kind of partnership that fills the gap with communities and workforce needs is a plus.”

Another initiative

University officials said the agreement is the latest initiative to help working adults, and public service professionals, earn a college degree.

“A lot of students may have pockets of credit. It could be community college or military,” said Kaylee Gmutza, PennWest’s assistant registrar. “We take that very seriously and we will look at all of that work with the academy so students have a clear path to finish a degree.”

While the academy training is awarded as credit for specific criminal justice courses, students in other majors could still have some of their experience count as academic credit, Gmutza said.

The police agreement comes at the heels of a PennWest agreement with the Pennsylvania Cybersecurity Center, announced in August. That agreement allows students to earn up to nine college credits at PennWest for certifications in information technology, computer networks and cybersecurity they have successfully completed.

“This is something Penn-West is really leaning into — direct pathways and pipelines to careers — and this is another example,” Mehalik said.

University officials also believe such partnerships can strengthen the university’s standing. After years of enrollment declines, PennWest reported a fall 2026 enrollment of 10,542 students, a decrease of only 6 students from last fall. Student retention rate increased to 73.06%, up from 71.11% last fall.

“Any of these partnerships have the opportunity to increase enrollment. It certainly will attract some students,” Mehalik said. “If we offer these credits either free, or a discounted rate, students and families are more invested.”