Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
From panel discussions and a keynote speaker to standing-room-only breakout sessions, the fourth annual Summit for Dual Credit Programs recently hosted by South Texas College and the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) at South Padre Island, saw record attendance.
The two-day summit saw more than 250 dual credit educators from at least 34 states gathered at the South Padre Island Convention Center for sessions on topics such as dual credit for beginners, program innovation, student pathways and partnerships and collaborations.
“The record-breaking attendance we have seen this year is testament to the exponential growth we are seeing when it comes to innovative teaching and learning. Dual Credit Programs are a bold strategy in creating a college-going culture and making education accessible for all,” said STC President Ricardo J. Solis, Ph.D. “At STC, our program has built a pipeline of dual credit graduates who earn their associate degrees, continue their education or enter the workforce immediately. We are changing lives through our programs and pathways and expanding the opportunity of a higher education.”
The first day of the summit kicked off with a 25 Years of Success in Dual Credit Partnerships panel led by STC Associate Vice President of Academic Success and Advancement Brett Millan, Ph.D., which included speakers from Educate Texas, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District and Region One ESC, in celebration of STC’s Dual Credit Programs 25th anniversary.
“It’s fitting that this summit is held on South Padre Island because of the great leadership that South Texas College has demonstrated in promoting dual credit as a national leader,” said Chris Coxen, managing director at Educate Texas. “We have seen how STC and its partnerships with school districts across the region have transformed our community. We’re thrilled to communicate that, at this summit.”
STC’s Dual Credit Programs in the last three decades has served more than 145,000 students and has saved families more than $425 million in tuition.
Rebecca De Leon, Ed.D., STC associate vice president for Dual Credit Programs and School District Partnerships, said the annual Summit for Dual Credit Programs is always a full-circle experience for her, as a former dual credit student. However, her new position with NACEP, makes it even more special.
This year, De Leon was appointed president-elect on NACEP’s board of directors, putting STC and its dual credit model on the national map. This is the first time NACEP has national representation from Texas.
“This summit is all about learning from each other, networking and sharing best practices. We want to share what we do and what we know, with others, so that everyone can be successful,” said De Leon. “We’re coming together and saying this is possible. This allows us to not only make a difference in our community, but across the nation.”
During the event, NACEP Executive Director Amy Williams also shared the most recent data from an August report released by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems, from the U.S. Department of Education, reporting that 2.5 million students nationwide participate in dual credit annually.
“NACEP is your national voice for dual credit…that is the work we do day in and day out,” she said. “We work to support programs, practitioners and dual credit policy, we aim to provide the highest standards in dual credit and concurrent enrollment programs for the 2.5 million students we serve. We are also the only national accreditation organization for dual credit programs. There are only 146 programs that fall under this category, and there is only of them here in Texas – the co-host of this event – South Texas College.”
Debra Luca, Academic Student Support manager, from City University of New York, partnered with Brooklyn College, said that this year’s summit has served as a great way to learn from other programs and discover best practices that she can take back to her campus.
“I have learned so much from this conference, and so much from South Texas College,” she said. “The college’s practices and how they’re working with students and their families gives people a better understanding of the student population we serve. We are impacting futures and it’s important that we all continue giving students and their families these opportunities who may not think they can be successful. This is opening doors and giving confidence.”
Additionally, she said she really appreciated the conference and the work that NACEP and STC put into making it a successful summit.
Jason Hunt, author, speaker, leadership trainer and this year’s summit keynote speaker said his message, as a veteran educator of 15 years, is people – the importance of caring, focusing on people and leading through influence.
His talk introduced the art of giving a “CRAP” – Caring, Recognize, Appreciate and Praise, and how this makes dual credit so successful.
“These dual credit professionals are in the perfect position to make a significant impact in the lives of students, and I hope they walk away realizing that while all the technical work is necessary, the most important thing is focusing on the students and being in that mindset every day,” said Hunt. “I saw and felt the passion everyone has about their dual credit programs, the overall mission of getting students ahead and filling an overall need in our nation, and that’s what it’s all about – caring and giving a ‘crap’ creates generational change in their profession.”
For more information on STC’s Dual Credit Programs, visit southtexascollege.edu/dual.
