College partnership provides Boone County high school students with college credit at no cost
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College is expanding its partnership with Boone County Schools to provide more high school students with an opportunity to earn college credit while completing career and technical education programs.
Through the partnership with the Boone Career and Technical Center, students enrolled in Automotive Technology, Building Maintenance and Operations, Electrical Technician, Power Equipment Systems, and Welding can earn 16 hours of college credit toward an Associate in Applied Science in Technical Studies degree from Southern.
The partnership also provides Boone Career and Technical Center students enrolled in the Grow Your Own Teaching Pathway with the opportunity to earn 12 hours of college credit toward an Associate in Arts-Education degree from Southern.
Through the Level Up West Virginia initiative, students and their families will incur no costs for the college credits earned through these pathways.
“Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College is proud to partner with Boone County Schools to create clear, affordable pathways from high school to college and the workforce,” said Southern Interim President Elizabeth Manuel. “By allowing students to earn college credit while completing their career and technical programs, we are helping them get a head start on their future careers. We are excited to strengthen our partnership with Boone County and expand opportunities for students throughout the region.”
The partnership is designed to help students make meaningful progress toward college credentials while gaining hands-on experience in career and technical fields. By earning college credit before graduating high school, students can potentially reduce the time and cost required to complete a postsecondary degree.
Boone County Schools Superintendent Allen Sexton said the partnership represents an important step in strengthening educational and career pathways for students.
“We are excited to renew and expand our partnership with Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College,” Sexton said. “This collaboration reflects the work both organizations have done to create stronger pathways for Boone County students.
“By aligning our career and technical programs with college opportunities, students can earn meaningful college credit while still in high school and at no cost to their families. Most importantly, we are giving students a head start on their futures and creating clearer pathways from our classrooms to college, careers, and the workforce right here in southern West Virginia.”
The Boone Career and Technical Center has also established similar postsecondary partnerships with Marshall University for its Grow Your Own Teaching Pathway and Health Science students and with the University of Northwestern Ohio for Automotive Technology students.
Dr. Jacob Messer, director and principal of the Boone Career and Technical Center, said the partnership with Southern provides students with another valuable option as they plan for life after high school.
“We are always looking for opportunities to help our students and give them more options for their post-secondary paths,” Messer said. “This is another option for them, and we are very excited about it. We appreciate Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College for making it possible.”
Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College continues to work with area school systems and educational partners to create accessible pathways that connect high school learning, college credentials and workforce opportunities. Through initiatives such as this partnership, Southern is helping students across southern West Virginia take the next step toward their educational and career goals while reducing financial barriers to higher education.