CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Graduation season is always an exciting time of year. For 68 members of John Tyler Community College’s Class of 2019, this graduation season is twice as exciting. That’s because the students completed degrees or certificates at Tyler before finishing their high school studies. The students come from multiple cities and counties; are completing high school through public, private and homeschool programs; and are majoring in a variety of disciplines.
Nineteen of the students earned associate degrees, including 17 who are the first to graduate from Tyler’s Early College Academy in Hopewell. The Early College Academy is a pilot program operated in partnership with Hopewell High School. Students take college courses at their high school, and those who complete the program earn an Associate of Science (AS) in General Studies, a transfer degree that includes the core courses that make up the first two years of many bachelor’s degree programs. Earning an associate degree while in high school takes commitment and time management skills. Camille Tucker says she enjoyed the Early College Academy program but admits the last year of the program, her senior year of high school, was challenging. “This year it hit me,” she says. “All the work was stressful.” Like most of her peers, Camille juggled college and high school classwork with extracurricular activities and a job. Kyah Yeager, who also participates in clubs and choir, agrees. “I like the experience I’m getting, but the work is hard,” she says. Eiizjarae Dillon says she and her peers often relied on one another for support as they worked through challenging classes and balanced all their responsibilities. “We really helped each other,” she says. “We’ve really bonded.” Now, they are looking forward to what’s next up, which involves pursuing their personal goals in fields such as cybersecurity, music education, social work, architecture, psychology, and mechanical engineering at institutions like James Madison University, George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Sweet Briar College, Winston-Salem State University, and Morgan State University.
Forty-nine of the students earned career studies certificates (CSC) in basic precision machining; early childcare; electricity; heating and air conditioning; or welding as part of Tyler’s Concurrent High School Program. Students who participate in the concurrent program take their college courses at Tyler’s Chester Campus, allowing them to get hands-on experience in high-tech labs and in learning environments designed to mirror real-world work spaces, while they earn a credential designed to prepare them for immediate entry into the workforce. In addition to obtaining a CSC, students in some programs have the opportunity to earn industry certifications and apply for internships with area businesses. Wilbert Allen, a precision machining student from Amelia, likes to work with his hands and says he decided to enter the concurrent program because it offered him the opportunity to learn skills for a good career that pays well. “You really learn everything in the program,” he says. “You get real experience, and I’ve learned skills more quickly than I thought possible.” Prince George resident Zach Humphrey, who earned an internship at Rolls-Royce Crosspointe while in Tyler’s concurrent machining program, says the program gives him a jumpstart on his career. “I have learned a lot, and I know it will be good for an employer to know I have this experience,” he says. After graduating from Tyler’s concurrent program and completing their high school work, students choose a variety of paths, from going right to work to continuing their education.
“Our job at Tyler is to create learning pathways for students so they can achieve their personal and professional goals,” says Dr. William Fiege, vice president of learning and student success. “Offering college-level learning opportunities for high school students allows them to get ahead. Those earning the associate degree are halfway home to a bachelor’s degree and have already saved tens of thousands of dollars in tuition and fees. Those completing a trade program have garnered the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to get an entry-level job making a good wage directly out of high school. We are pleased to partner with our local school divisions on these efforts and plan to do even more in the future.”
Members of Tyler’s Class of 2019 who completed an AS or CSC at the college before completing their high school work include (students listed by hometown):
Amelia
Kameron Adams - CSC, Welding
Wilbert Allen - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Damien Brown - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Daniel Correa - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Ian Dunlow - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Ricky Garretson, Jr. - CSC, Welding
Clarke Gough - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Philip Gough - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Ke'Anna Jones - CSC, Early Childhood
Lance Shelton - CSC, Welding
Cory Wilkerson - CSC, Welding
Carson Yogi - CSC, Welding
Chesterfield
Nathaniel Beebe - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Jacob Benzinger - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Devin Collins - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Clinton Eads, II - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Zachory Fredmonsky - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Samuel Haskins - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Brandon Henry - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Matthew Iverson - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Gabriel Sturdevant - CSC, Welding
Thomas Walters - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Dinwiddie
Xavier Bodnarik - CSC, Welding
Timothy Harville - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Michael Pfister, Jr. - CSC, Electricity
Troy Wagstaff - CSC, Electricity
Hopewell
Judd Blake - AS, General Studies
Ezekiel Cave - AS, General Studies
Mackenzie Cruey – AS, General Studies
Mariah Culpepper - AS, General Studies
Evan Cunningham - AS, General Studies
Brandon Daugherty - CSC, Welding
Eiizjarae Dillon - AS, General Studies
Autumn Durante - AS, General Studies
Alyssa Godwin - AS, General Studies
Dylan Hicks - CSC, Welding
Ricky Jones - AS, General Studies
Zyreon Jones-Walker - AS, General Studies
Shekinah Mason - AS, General Studies
Alivia Pearson - AS, General Studies
Trey Powers - CSC, Heating and Air Conditioning
Chaelin Richardson - AS, General Studies
Arianna Rivera - AS, General Studies
Camille Tucker - AS, General Studies
Abigail Volk - AS, General Studies
Kyah Yeager - AS, General Studies
Petersburg
Adavias Gregory - CSC, Welding
Jasmine Taylor - CSC, Early Childhood
Thomastina Wilbur - CSC, Early Childhood
Powhatan
Carly Kernstine - AS, General Studies - Science Specialization
Prince George
Brandon Alonzo - CSC, Electricity
Colton Bryant - CSC, Electricity
Amayah Carter-Salisbury - CSC, Early Childhood
Sheyanne Elsen - CSC, Early Childhood
Kendall Hill - CSC, Electricity
Zachary Humphrey - CSC, Basic Precision Machining Technology
Raymond Keyser - CSC, Electricity
Emma Knisely - CSC, Early Childhood
Logan Moneymaker - CSC, Electricity
Cameron Patteson - CSC, Electricity
Andrew Rhodes - CSC, Electricity
Dylan Rose - CSC, Electricity
Karter Tripp - CSC, Electricity
TaMera Wilson - CSC, Early Childhood
Surry
Zaria Hardy - AS, General Studies
Sussex
Montell Bates - CSC, Heating and Air Conditioning
James Ellis - CSC, Electricity
Rodney Ellis - CSC, Electricity
John Tyler Community College offers more than 60 majors that provide pathways to careers in high-demand fields; transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities; and industry credentials and licensures. The college, with campuses in Chester and Midlothian, online classes, and off-campus classrooms, served more than 14,300 students during the 2017-18 academic year. It also assisted more than 7,000 learners through its workforce development division, Community College Workforce Alliance, a partnership between Tyler and Reynolds community colleges.