Dawayne Kirkman, vice president of student affairs, said they are excited about this new opportunity to connect high school students with faculty and program information.
“The goal is to have continued strong partnerships with high schools in our local community. We want to be the college of first choice for Springfield High School and School of Innovation,” he said.
More than 20 program coordinators will share career opportunities with the students, said Travis Binkley, dean of enrollment services.
“We have a focus on showcasing our great academic programs that lead to family sustainable wages for students. Careers in healthcare with our medical laboratory technology or in manufacturing with our industrial technology programs are in high demand, and sometimes students are not familiar with these options,” he said. “We recognize that the best way to connect students with a program is to connect them directly to our faculty.”
The programs that will be included are: nursing, medical assisting, diagnostic medical sonography (DMS), physical therapist assistant (PTA), medical laboratory technology (MLT) criminal justice, early childhood education (ECE), social work, addiction studies, cybersecurity, networking, agriculture, horticulture, graphic design, web design and development, engineering and industrial technologies, management, economics, banking, real estate, logistics and supply chain, human resources, office administration, transfer degree pathways and theatre.
Along with the programs, the college will also have student services such as financial aid and accessibility services to answer any questions about the college transition.
Binkley, Melody Gast, director of admissions and career services, and Crystal Jones, vice president for marketing, diversity and community impact, met with Springfield High School principal Lisa Cunningham, SOI principal Kathy Lee and Ron Gordon, director of community initiatives, in December to start planning this event.
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