Starting in the 2020-2021 academic year, Three Rivers College is partnering with the Sikeston R-6 School District to offer an enhanced dual credit program.
The program was designed to give Sikeston high school students the opportunity to earn a significant amount of college credit toward an associate degree or a career-specific certificate. The program will serve a wide range of students and consists of two pathways, College Now and Career Now.
“We’re excited to expand our dual credit program with the Sikeston School District,” said Dr. Wesley Payne, President of Three Rivers College. “The College Now and Career Now programs give students more options for accelerating their journey to a college degree or career.”
“Community partnerships such as ours with TRC give our students a greater opportunity to succeed in life after they graduate from high school.” said, Dr. Tony Robinson, Superintendent of Sikeston R-6 Schools. “We are so thankful to be able to work with TRC to provide our students with more career and college focused learning opportunities.”
With College Now, Sikeston students have the opportunity to graduate high school with an associate degree of their choice. Three Rivers College has discounted the tuition to $90 per credit hour regardless of a student’s district. Sikeston High School will pay the cost of tuition and fees, leaving the student only responsible for learning materials such as textbooks.
College Now students will spend their school days at the Three Rivers-Sikeston location integrated into the classroom with other TRC students, giving them a full college experience. College Now students will go through the advising process just like regular students so they will have a jumpstart on learning how to navigate the college system.
Five Sikeston students have been selected for the inaugural class of the College Now program. On average, these students are taking 15 to 18 college credit hours and are pursuing degrees in Psychology, Administration of Justice, General Education, and Biological Science.
When they graduate, these College Now students will be ready to transfer into four-year universities as juniors—halfway to a bachelor’s degree.
The Career Now program offers students a path to starting a career after high school. Students can choose from three options: Early Childhood Education, Industrial Production Technician, and Welding, all of which are two-year programs.
With the Early Childhood Education program, courses are offered to Sikeston Career and Technology students at no cost and will take place at the Sikeston Career and Technology Center (SCTC). At the end of the program, students will receive an Early Childhood Short-Term Certificate from Three Rivers and will sit for the Child Development Associates (CDA) Exam. After passing the exam, they will receive the CDA credential from the CDA Council. According to the CDA Council, students who hold this certification will “know how to nurture the emotional, physical, intellectual, and social development of children.”
The Industrial Production Technician program uses a mixture of the Amatrol Learning Management System and face-to-face labs at the TRC – Sikeston location. These Career Now students will complete an Electrical Process Technician Certificate, which will give them a competitive advantage in pursuing high-demand manufacturing jobs in our area. The Sikeston High School district is covering the cost of the tuition and fees for this program and students will be responsible for learning materials. Initially, the class will be limited to five students selected by Sikeston High School. This selection has not taken place yet.
The Career Now Welding program, which will be hosted at the SCTC, is provided at no cost to students. Upon completion of the program, students will receive 18 college credit hours toward an associate degree.
For more information about the dual credit program, contact Amanda Taylor, Dual Credit Coordinator at Three Rivers College, at 573-840-9619 or ataylor@trcc.edu.
To learn more about associate degree pathways and technical career programs at Three Rivers College, visit trcc.edu, call the Welcome Center at 573-840-9605, or email EnrollNow@trcc.edu.
Three Rivers College is committed to contributing to the quality of life in Southeast Missouri with quality, affordable higher education opportunities and community services that support and encourage the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the region. For more information about college and workforce programs and upcoming events, visit trcc.edu.
