Jumping the gun

Jan. 31—When the first group of Cumberland University's early college program students graduated high school last May, they left the lockers and classes of their alma maters behind with not only a high-school diploma, but with an associate's degree as well.

Through a newly-announced program, Green Hill High School students will have an opportunity to do the same.

Beginning in the fall of 2023, students who are eligible to take part in the early college academy will be considered full-time Cumberland University students. Students will take five college courses, or 15 credit hours, each semester until graduation.

For juniors and seniors at Green Hill, the program differs from the traditional dual enrollment set-up, where a high-school student can take one or two college courses to earn college credit.

"For us, just in a state of growth, we're always looking at how we're able to connect and partner with our local county high schools," Cumberland Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Joey Clark said. "We didn't have anything on the books with Green Hill, so it was a really great opportunity for us to say, 'Hey we want to help create this program with you guys.' There are some elevated factors for the collegiate academy at Green Hill. They've got a handbook that they've put together, and there's some specific requirements that they're requiring of students in addition to what we'd set as the requirements."

Green Hill students who wish to enroll in the early college academy will coordinate with school counselors to ensure they've completed all prerequisite high-school courses prior to their junior year.

In addition to that requirement, students must be recommended by their high-school guidance counselor as being "academically prepared to engage in college-level work." They must also have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average and a 21 ACT composite score.

"One of our primary objectives at Green Hill High School has been to offer our students ambitious educational opportunities," GHS Principal Kevin Dawson conveyed in a press release. "In partnership with Cumberland University, we are able to achieve this vision by offering an Associate Degree to accompany their high school diploma as well as keeping them engaged in the high school experience. With culture being on the forefront of our educational community, students are able to maintain extracurricular engagement and seek out rigorous academic opportunities, both of which are aligned with the values of Green Hill High School and Cumberland University."

For students who are academically focused, the early college academy program is an opportunity to get ahead in their studies and to also acclimate themselves to college life early.

"They are actually taking enough college-level courses their junior and senior year of high school to be graduating with an associates degree the same May that they are graduating with their high-school diplomas," Clark said.

Cumberland University President Paul Stumb added in the press release, "We are looking forward to welcoming Green Hill's high-achieving students to our early college program, and providing more convenient access to college courses for students who live outside of Lebanon. Amy Grant, our Dual Enrollment and Early College Coordinator and Instructor, has worked diligently to meet the needs of many high schools in our surrounding community. In fact, our university just recently established two new partnerships with Smith and Trousdale counties."