Ingham ISD and Lansing Community College partner on early college program

There’s been a lot of buzz around Michigan about the need for more workers trained in the STEM fields—science, technology, engineering and mathmatics—and now, the Ingham Intermediate School District and Lansing Community College are partnering to make that buzz a reality.

The Early College at Lansing Community College (TEC@LCC) is a program that will allow high school juniors to get on a fast track to their associates degree. If all expectations are met, participants could walk away from LCC with a degree only one year after grade 12.

"The premise is to help the students make the transition from high school to college," says Micki O’Neil, director of PR and communications for Ingham Intermediate School District. "If they’re ready to move on to college courses, they can do that as soon as their requirements are complete."

In its initial year, up to 90 juniors may begin the program by transferring all of their classes into an LCC facility. During their first year, their courses will be primarily high school classes, and then college courses will blend into their schedules as soon as they show proficiency.

"A student will have to be completely committed to the program because it’s changing their whole world," says O’Neil. "That can be scary, but it’s really exciting too."

Start up funds for TLC@LCC were acquired through a $390,000 Middle College Partnership Grant from the Michigan Department of Education.

Program maintenance will be funded by the Student Foundation Allowance already allocated to each public school student.

Lansing area organizations such as Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), the Lansing Regional Chamber, Michigan State University (MSU) plan to partner with TLC@LCC to help place students in internships.

Parents who wish to learn more about the program may attend meetings held on February 3rd and 8th in the University Center on the campus of Lansing Community College.

Source: Micki O’Neil, Ingham Intermediate School District

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor 

Photo: Students at Ingham Intermediate School District

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie