Nineteen students attending the Central Massachusetts Collaborative have completed a new early college program this past school year. (Photo courtesy Central Massachusetts Collaborative) 
The dual enrollment program is gaining in popularity and already has 24 students signed up for the upcoming school year. (Photo courtesy Central Massachusetts Collaborative)
WORCESTER — The Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives (MOEC) is pleased to share that 19 students attending the Central Massachusetts Collaborative (CMC) have completed a new early college program this past school year.
CMC partnered with Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) to create an innovative early college program that provided junior and senior CMC students with the opportunity to meet their high school graduation requirements by completing college courses offered at no cost to the students. Through this partnership, CMC students were able to attend classes both on campus and at one of Quinsigamond Community College’s satellite locations.
After successfully completing their coursework CMC students now have both the credits needed to earn their high school diploma as well as three college credits per course which can then be applied to a degree program at QCC or transferred to another state or private institution of higher education.
This year, three programs were offered which included Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Medical Administrative Assistant. Both the Culinary Arts and the Medical Administrative Assistant courses also provided students with the specific credentials and certifications needed to enter the workforce directly after graduation.
As part of the program, students were transported to QCC each day and were accompanied by a CMC instructional assistant to and from classes.
“It was very important for us to make sure that our students received all of the assistance they needed to have a successful college experience,” said CMC Manager of Vocational Services Paul Barry. “Attending college for the first time can be overwhelming for many students. By allowing our students to attend with the support of caring CMC staff, we were able to minimize the anxiety of our students and provide them with the help and guidance they needed to navigate the complexity of college life.”
All CMC students participating in the program had the opportunity to take full advantage of the QCC campus and were also afforded all of the amenities that any other student attending the community college would have, including using the gym and cafeteria and even receiving student discounts with their college IDs.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Early College programs are intentionally designed to empower students traditionally underrepresented in higher education. MA Early College Designated Programs work to blend elements of high school and college to provide students with the opportunity to experience and complete college level academic coursework on a clearly articulated pathway and simultaneously gain exposure to a variety of career opportunities. Early college programs also reduce the time and expense of earning a college credential while increasing the likelihood of completion.
“This is such a wonderful program that encourages students to have new experiences and bolsters confidence,” said MOEC Executive Director Joanne Haley-Sullivan. “Early college programs like this one show the unique ways that our collaboratives can provide comprehensive and meaningful learning opportunities for our students every day.”
All 19 students who completed the first year of this dual enrollment have earned six college credits from QCC. Three of the students who participated in the program this year have now graduated and will be attending QCC this fall. Two juniors who completed the program, have now gained the confidence and skills necessary to return to their former high schools in their respective towns ready to complete their senior year.
The early college program is gaining in popularity and already has 24 students signed up for the upcoming school year.
“We are so proud of our students who attended this program for its pilot year,” said CMC Executive Director Susan Farrell. “We are pleased to be able to provide this exciting opportunity to even more students this upcoming year and are grateful to Quinsigamond Community College for this partnership. Together we are making a positive difference for our students as they complete their high school education and move out into the world.”
About Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives
MOEC represents the Commonwealth’s 25 educational collaboratives. MOEC serves as the voice of its members and works to develop a full appreciation for and understanding of educational collaboratives at the state, regional, and local levels. MOEC is the Commonwealth’s primary advocate for collaboratives and the critical role they play in the Massachusetts educational system.
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