Celebrating Partnership

March 2024

On February 28th, our Early College Department successfully hosted the 2024 annual High School Appreciation Day, marking another milestone in our journey with over 20 high school partners. The event was a showcase of our mutual achievements and the transformative power of early college education. Our high school partners, along with our dedicated team, engaged in discussions about breaking educational barriers for students. Through our collaborative efforts in providing a seamless pathway, we are trying to make college and career a tangible goal for high school students.

The event kicked off with a panel featuring Deans of Arts and Sciences, Career and Technical Education, Educator Preparation Program, and Instructional Innovation. The panel highlighted program updates and future plans in individual academic divisions and touched on a few important topics such as how to smooth the transition from high school to college and open doors to new opportunities.  

The day was also an opportunity to share our successes and areas for growth through various presentations and breakout sessions. In "Early College by the Numbers," Josh Jeffery and I shared the multi-year enrollment data and trends, which outlined the expansion of our programs, and discussed areas for further growth, which set the stage for future collaboration. Breakout sessions focused on practical aspects of our partnership. These sessions and presentations covered a variety of topics - from DualEnroll applications, accessibility and inclusion, NACEP conference takeaways, best practices in dual enrollment, Moodle LMS, student services, and AGEC redesign. Great interactions among 60+ attendees. And great tacos from Romos Food Truck! 

As we look to the future, our collective ambition is to further enhance our Early College partnerships and make education more meaningful and accessible to our high school students. I really appreciate everyone’s engagement in this event, which is a testament to the strength of our partnership and our shared vision for student success. 

Wei Ma, PhD
Dean of Instructional Innovation
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