Randal Arwood from Harriman High School became the first Middle College student to cross the stage and receive an associate degree from Roane State President Chris Whaley during commencement on Friday, May 6.
May 7, 2016
Josh Workman wanted a challenge.
So two years ago, the Roane County High School student decided to participate in Roane State Community College’s first Middle College. The unique program allows high school students to take college classes in their junior and senior years and then graduate with their associate degrees and their diplomas.
Workman and 19 more students from Roane State’s first Middle College class became the program’s first graduates on Friday, May 6. The students earned college degrees two weeks before their high school graduations.
The Middle College graduates will be able to complete their bachelor’s degrees just two years after finishing high school.
“It’s just really exciting because we are getting an associate degree before we’re getting a diploma, and doing all this work and finally seeing it pay off, it’s just really exciting,” said Workman, who plans to attend the University of Tennessee and major in computer engineering. “It was definitely a challenge, but it was worth it.”
When they started at Roane State in fall 2014, the students in the first Middle College class were high school juniors. To be eligible for Middle College, they had to have scored 22 or above on the PLAN test, a pre-test for the ACT. The students took classes at Roane State in the mornings and then returned to their high schools in the afternoons for activities such as sports, yearbook and band.
The schedule allowed the students to complete a college degree in high school while also preserving the students’ high school experience.
Of the 13 public community colleges in Tennessee, Roane State is one of only four to offer a Middle College-like program. The others are: Chattanooga State, Volunteer State, and Nashville State. Roane State’s program is unique because it allows students to take Roane State classes while fully participating in their high school activities.
Middle College students pay for tuition through a combination of out-of-pocket funds, use of the Tennessee dual enrollment grant (funded by the state lottery) and private scholarships. No student has been unable to participate due to financial need.
Since the fall 2014 launch in Roane County, Middle College has expanded to include Anderson County. Middle College spring enrollment was 67 students (33 from Anderson County, 34 from Roane County). The program will be offered in Campbell and Morgan counties in fall 2016.
“This has just flown by for me, but I have really loved it,” said Middle College graduate Brianna Casaus from Roane County High School.
Casaus plans to attend East Tennessee State University, major in microbiology, and continue to medical school.
“I feel like doing Middle College has really prepared me to go on, and I feel comfortable going on for another two years,” Casaus said. “I think because I proved that I can do something that is academically hard for me, that has prepared me. I know my classes are going to be hard at ETSU, but I have already proved that I can rise to that challenge.”
Tennessee’s Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. All colleges in the system offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit tncommunitycolleges.org.
For more information about Roane State’s Middle College, contact coordinator David Lane at (865) 882-4538, lanedr@roanestate.edu.
Randal Arwood, Harriman High School
Charli Barry, Midway High School
Matthew Bond, Home-schooled
Adam Brock, Harriman High School
Brandon Buck, Oliver Springs High School
Brianna Casaus, Roane County High School
Allison Clower, Harriman High School
Mason Davis, Harriman High School
Madison Duncan, Harriman High School
Shelby Dunn, Midway High School
Tucker Goldston, Harriman High School
Hailey Hall, Roane County High School
Mollie Houghton, Midway High School
Luke Huddleston, Roane County High School
Edward Joseph Michaud IV, Midway High School
Autumn Monkhouse, Harriman High School
Conner Nelson, Roane County High School
Treyton Peters, Harriman High School
Erin Terebush, Roane County High School
Joshua Workman, Roane County High School
Roane State Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity or national origin, sex, disability, age, status as protected veteran or any other class protected by Federal or State laws and regulation and by Tennessee board of Regents policies with respect to employment, programs, and activities. View full non-discrimination policy.
