Students Gain an Early Start on a Higher Education
(l-r) Randolph School District Superintendent Jennifer Fano, Randolph High School Principal Debbie Iosso, CCM President Anthony J. Iacono, CCM Trustee Chair Thomas Pepe, New Jersey Commissioner of Education Lamont Repollet, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn and Randolph School Board Vice President Joe Faranetta.
County College of Morris (CCM) and the Randolph School District on Thursday, December 19, signed a dual enrollment agreement to provide high school students with the opportunity to begin their higher education early.
Attending the signing ceremony were the New Jersey Commissioner of Education Lamont Repollet, Assistant Commissioner of Academics and Performance Linda Eno, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn and numerous officials from Randolph Township and its school district.
Through the partnership, CCM will provide Randolph High School students with a pathway to start earning college credits at their high school. The program is aligned with the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education’s vision to provide students with early exposure to college.
The program, known as Titans Express, started this past September with CCM offering a general psychology course to Randolph High School students identical in content to the class offered at CCM. Courses through Titans Express are half the price of the in-county tuition rate. Currently, that equates to $68.50 a credit. As the program develops, other college-level courses will be provided at the high school.
Under the agreement, college-level classes at the high school are taught by Randolph High School teachers working collaboratively with CCM professors. Through the program, participating students also have access to CCM resources, such as the library, tutoring services and academic advisement. In addition, they have the opportunity to visit and interact with CCM faculty teaching the same courses at the college to broaden their exposure to college-level work and facilities.
“We’re pleased to enter into this agreement to provide Randolph students with the opportunity to begin their college education early and to start earning credits toward a degree,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM. “Early exposure to college means students can start exploring areas of interest sooner so they can better determine the educational and career pathway they want to pursue.”
“One of our missions at Randolph is to foster innovation. To fulfill that vision, we strive to create an exemplary learning community that prepares students to excel in a complex interconnected and changing world,” said Jennifer Fano, superintendent, Randolph School District. “The achievement of college education is one of multiple pathways for students to explore to become the responsible, capable and progressive world leaders we know they can be. Our partnership with CCM enhances accessibility for students to higher education. CCM’s rich history of academic excellence in Morris County has left an indelible impact on the lives of thousands of students. I am grateful for the partnership and the opportunity for students to pursue college level course work while enrolled at Randolph High School.”
“I am thrilled that we are continuing to enhance our connection with CCM,” said Dr. Deborah L. Iosso, Randolph High School principal. “Our students can only benefit from the work that we are doing to provide them with more college-level opportunities right in their own backyard. The faculty and staff at CCM have been amazing to work with and I look forward to a productive relationship moving forward for the benefit of our students.”
A community college graduate, Assistant Commissioner Eno praised CCM for providing a model for other schools to follow so more students can gain early exposure to college.
“It’s taking the end game and bringing it to the beginning so students can access higher education early on,” added Commissioner Repollet.
Credit hours earned by students will be applied to the corresponding certificate or associate degree program at CCM should they decide to enroll at the college. The college credits also may apply to their high school graduation requirements or bachelor degree programs offered at four-year institutions.
To apply to the program, parents and guardians first need to fill out the application for CCM’s Challenger Program for high school students. The application can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/challengerprogram/. That application then should be submitted to the CCM’s Admissions office or Randolph High School.
CCM currently offers the Titans Express program at Mt. Olive, Hanover Park and Whippany Park high schools and expects to expand it to other high schools in Morris County. In addition to Titans Express, CCM offers several other programs for high school students. To review those programs, visit https://bit.ly/CCMHS/.
To view photos from the signing ceremony visit: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmK8xTh4.
