Dual enrollment students from NACC receive both High School & College Diplomas

Clarion Top News

Wednesday, 03 July 2024 11:10

An impressive fourteen dual enrollment students at Northeast Alabama Community College (NACC) earned both their high school and college diplomas this spring. These students represent several local schools throughout NACC’s serviced area.
This year’s dual graduates are Karen Garcia Alvarez and Julie Hawkins from Sylvania School; Gracie Griggs from Collinsville High School; Weston Hamilton from Fort Payne High School; Cogan McCutchen, Natalie Pope, and Jacob Stringer from Section High School; Kaina King, Brinlee Potts, and Jayla Ross from Skyline High School; Beau Taylor from Plainview High School; Leanna Robertson from Woodville High School; Katie Randles from Kate Duncan Smith DAR School; and Maggie Willey from the Alabama Virtual Academy.

“We are very proud of these students, and I know their high schools are as well,” stated NACC President Dr. David Campbell. “They are excellent students, and completing college early will allow them a head start on their careers. Along with saving time, these students have saved themselves and their families substantially in education costs.”

Maggie Willey is a recent graduate of the Alabama Virtual Academy. She earned an Associate in Science: Pre-Pharmacy from NACC and will attend pharmacy school at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, this fall, where she received a scholarship worth $84,000.

Karen Garcia Alvarez graduated from Sylvania High School. She earned her Associate in Science: Pre-Nursing transfer degree from Northeast this year.

Julie Hawkins graduated from Sylvania High School and earned her Associate in Science: Pre-Nursing degree from NACC last month. Because of NACC’s Dual Enrollment program, Julie was able to obtain her EKG Technician and STC Patient Care Technician certifications.

Natalie Pope graduated from Section High School and earned her Associate in Science: Pre-Medicine degree from NACC. Natalie plans on attending the University of Alabama in the fall and will be majoring in Biology/Pre-Med. She received several scholarships from UA.

Kaina King graduated from Skyline High School and earned her Associate in Science: Pre-Nursing degree from NACC. She plans to attend UAH this fall where she will play basketball and has been admitted to the nursing program! Kaina wishes to continue her education in pursuit of her CRNA degree.

Gracie Griggs graduated from Collinsville High School and earned her Associate in Science: Pre-Nursing Transfer from NACC. She plans to attend the University of Alabama this fall to pursue a degree in Nursing. Gracie received several scholarships, including the DeKalb County Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship, the University of Alabama Prestige Scholarship, and the Nucor Foundation Scholarship.

Brinlee Potts graduated from Skyline High School and earned her Associate in Science: Pre-Nursing degree from Northeast. She plans to continue her education in nursing, and she will be attending the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of North Alabama this fall.

Leanna Robertson graduated from Woodville High School and earned her Associate of Science: Elementary Education degree from NACC. This fall, she plans to transfer to Athens State University to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and become an elementary teacher.

Jayla Ross graduated from Skyline High School and earned her Associate in Science: Pre-Nursing degree from NACC. She will be attending the University of Alabama’s Capstone College of Nursing on a full academic scholarship.

Jacob Stringer graduated from Section High School and earned his Associate in Science: Biomedical Sciences degree from Northeast. He will be attending Auburn University to pursue a degree in physical therapy with plans to eventually open his own practice. Jacob also received several scholarships, including the All Auburn Leadership Scholarship and the Spirit of Auburn Founders Scholarship.

Beau Taylor earned his Associate in Science: Pre-Medicine Transfer degree from NACC and graduated from Plainview High School this year. He plans to attend Belmont University where he wants to pursue a degree as a medical doctor.

Cogan McCutchen graduated from Section High School and earned his Associate in Science: Pre-Veterinary Medicine degree from NACC. He will attend Auburn University this fall and plans on majoring in poultry science, pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine. He also plans to take transient classes at NACC while at Auburn.

Weston Hamilton is a graduate of Fort Payne High School and earned his Associate in Science: Pre-Physician Assistant degree from NACC this year. He will be pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, following a Pre-Medicine pathway, at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville.

Katie Randles graduated from Kate Duncan Smith DAR School while she earned an Associate of Science: Pre-Nursing degree from NACC. Katie plans to complete the NACC + UAH Dual Nursing Degree Program.

NACC’s Dual Enrollment Coordinator Staci Miller is very proud to see these students achieve this accomplishment. “The dual grads are always a special population of students to me. I get to watch them grow in their college studies and push themselves to accomplish their goals. Their motivation, determination, and grit is outstanding and something to be admired. I am so proud of what they accomplish at both NACC and their high schools. Each of these students are exceptional. I am excited to see what the future holds for each of them,” said Miller.

The Dual Enrollment Program at Northeast allows high school students to enroll at Northeast and earn credits for a high school diploma and for a postsecondary degree. The Dual Enrollment Program is open to all students meeting the requirements as outlined in the NACC Catalog or online at nacc.edu.

“We are now seeing high school students accomplish more than ever before thanks to dual enrollment,” said Jeff Hawes, NACC’s Dean of Students. “With the opportunities these students have to get ahead, their possibilities are endless, and we are so proud of their hard work, dedication, and determination.”

Dual Enrollment enriches course opportunities and academic rigor for high school students. This program shortens the time to attain a college degree and provides students with college credit that is transferable. Grades earned through dual enrollment will become part of a student’s permanent high school record and collegiate transcripts.