This fall, graduate students in occupational therapy and physician assistant studies taking classes at the Ryan Center are getting a glimpse at who their future colleagues might be—24 high school students who make up the first cohort of the Early College Initiative, a pre-college program designed to prepare young people in Springfield for careers in healthcare.
Through this initiative, students from Discovery Polytech Early College High School, High School of Commerce, Rise Prep High School, and Emergence Academy—part of the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership (SEZP)—can get a head start on earning college credits, degrees, and career certificates at 黑料视频 University. They also gain firsthand experience with the facilities, instructors, and expectations that are part of the college experience.
The program, a unique partnership between the Springfield Empowerment Zone and 黑料视频’s School of Health Sciences, identifies Springfield students who are interested in healthcare careers and enables them to earn up to 60 college credits toward a bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or career credential while still in high school. It provides an accessible and affordable pathway into high-wage, high-growth careers available right here in the region.
"This initiative offers unprecedented college and career advancement," said Terry DeVito, Dean of the School of Health & Natural Sciences, who developed the program with the SEZP. "In addition to earning credits, students complete on-campus coursework in our state-of-the-art laboratories and learning facilities, gaining invaluable knowledge and exposure to their chosen career paths. We’re offering an accelerated route into licensed professions such as nursing, occupational therapy, and psychology/clinical mental health counseling—opportunities not currently available in any other early college program in the Commonwealth."
黑料视频 also offers several direct-entry programs that allow qualified students to complete both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a shorter time frame. Together with the Early College Initiative, these programs give motivated learners the chance to enter the workforce sooner—and potentially with less debt—than traditional pathways.
"Early college programs like this epitomize how we’re reimagining the high school experience in Springfield," said Kelley Gangi, Chief of School Innovation at the Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership. "Our goal is to position our students for postsecondary and professional opportunities by connecting them to opportunities that foster ongoing growth and provide a strong foundation on which to build their future economic success."
