WKU News

Dr. Sarah Hitchings, principal of Waggener High School (WHS), noticed that some students, including the best and brightest, weren’t seeing college as a possibility after high school. A solution was needed to support academically underserved students, prepare them for college, and help them overcome economic barriers. WHS partnered with the Prospect Goshen Rotary Club and Western Kentucky University to create the College NoW program.

Hitchings says, “The College NoW program created about three years ago, it coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our leadership team desperately wanted a pre-college curriculum that would complement the great career preparation we had going on at Waggener. I knew that WKU’s dual credit model was entirely online, and I was a little hesitant because you're asking a high school kid to take a college class, which is a huge challenge, but also to navigate it all online.” The first class offered was a world history course that was a partnership between a teacher at WHS and a professor at WKU. The end result was seeing how their students could earn college credit through a strong partnership with WKU.

College NoW identifies students that would benefit from gaining college level experience in high school. This includes taking dual credit classes through WKU for all 4 years, completing service projects, attending professional conferences, and mentorship. Tyler Kordesich, teacher and College NoW coordinator at WHS ,says, it gives students a window to the rigor of college life. “They experience the same advanced level coursework the college students do, plus the responsibility of being prepared for classes, executing the classes, and the registration process.” Brittney Sholar, Dual Credit Program Manager at WKU, says dual credit classes are a bridge between high school and college and they give students “the opportunity to have these experiences while enrolled in university courses with the safety net of affordable tuition and support from their high school and our office staff to help navigate the waters.” Students that complete the program will start college with some general education requirements already done and they will have the study skills and work ethic to complete a college degree. 

The cost of the dual credit classes is covered by Rotary grants. Dr. Bernard Strenecky, Scholar in Residence at WKU, says “The philosophy of Rotary is Service above Self. The Prospect Goshen Rotary Club decided to finance this because they can serve a community that needs the assistance.” Kordesich says the Rotary goes far to support the school’s mission and goals. 

Hitchings says students’ reaction to the program is that while college classes are challenging, they are so appreciative to have this opportunity. Tinisha Taylor Holt, IT & Law Academy Counselor says, “they feel like they're better prepared now to enter post-secondary learning. Some of our students didn't feel like college is for them. But now, through this program, they can see firsthand that they are they are capable. This has opened a whole new window for them, which is huge.” Kordesich notes students learn how to cite papers, proper formatting, how to communicate, and time management. Strenecky says, “We’re implanting dreams that they can go further, and we give them support because failure is not an option.”

The dual credit classes offered by WKU include history, biology, communication, and psychology. The classes chosen are beneficial to any student regardless of major. WKU faculty and WHS teachers coordinate and work together to teach the classes and only Waggener students are enrolled in that section. The teacher and professor are in touch frequently to be able to provide extra support for each other and the students. Dual credit students are considered WKU student as well, so they have access to WKU resources and visits are coordinated so they can be on the Hill and get a taste of the college experience they are preparing for. There is also a monthly meeting between WKU and WHS, which including CEBS Dean Corinne Murphy, WKU’s Dual Credit Office, and other campus partners. Hitchings says, “WKU is the only partner that goes to those lengths when offering dual credit opportunities for our students.” Taylor Holt says “We are really proud of our partnership with WKU, and we brag about it all the time” because of the support, consistency, organization, and availability to students in every grade level. Support even extends to parents and giving them the tools to help students succeed. Strenecky calls College NoW a wraparound program and “the most student-centered program I’ve been involved in.”

Waggener High School is one of the smallest high schools in the Jefferson County Public School system with 841 students. A majority of the students are economy disadvantaged and identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). Gun violence, gangs, and homelessness are major problems for the student body, and school administrators note that their students are focused on surviving, not thriving. For the Spring 2022 semester, 147, or about 17% of WHS students, participated in College NoW. 

Besides the dual credit classes, they also participated in service-learning projects with the $100 Solution, were paired with mentors that also graduated from WHS, and had the opportunity to complete in speech contests or attend a leadership conference. One service project started by these students was inspired by the question “What can we do to make this a better place to learn?” They created the “Adopt a Hallway” program, which put groups in charge of keeping a certain school hallway clean. The students also honored the school custodians as hometown heroes. Strenecky says College NoW’s goal isn’t only to teach academics, but also how to be a good citizen. Kordesich says they want to develop students as a whole.

WKU benefits from being a partner with College NoW. By allowing WKU professors and WHS teachers to work together, the WKU classroom experience can happen where it is most needed. Working closely with high school students also give insights into unseen barriers that may prevent students from pursuing higher education, plus barriers for students that live in major metropolitan areas. Awareness of these barriers leads to fixes that benefit all future Hilltoppers. Hitchings says that students that go through College NoW not only proudly wear WKU gear to school after they visit campus, but are applying to become a Hilltopper after graduation. For the fall 2023 semester, 18 Waggener students, roughly 10% of the graduating class, have been admitted to WKU. Fourteen of those students are part of the College NoW program. Sholar notes that a student’s experience with dual credit classes can change how they feel about a university. “We work hard to build a relationship that ensures a positive, fulfilling experience where they feel like a part of the WKU family. We want to show them a preview of what a top tier university, like WKU, can offer them as a fulltime student. With positive exposure to WKU, our students will add it to their list, if not the top of their list, for their higher education plans.”

WKU wants to work with more high schools to replicate the College NoW program to benefit more communities and give more students a bridge to college success. Kordesich says he hopes WHS is seen as a model. “We’re trying to grow our community here and we have to do that through sharing our best practices.”

For more information, you can contact the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at 270-745-4662 or WKU’s Dual Credit office at 270-745-3418.