Indiana Institute of Technology joins Higher Education Coalition
The partnership that has been formed between colleges, universities, and Fort Wayne Community Schools will help local students find their way to continuing their education.
Indiana Institute of Technology has joined the Higher Education Commission alongside Fort Wayne Community Schools and several local colleges and universities. The goal of the Higher Education Coalition is to help local students from Fort Wayne Community Schools pursue higher education through direct admission agreements, early college experiences, and dual credit opportunities.
According to an article on Indiana Tech’s website, Dr. Steve Herendeen, who serves as the Senior Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management at the university, was quoted as saying of the partnership, “Indiana Tech is grateful for the opportunity to work with Fort Wayne Community Schools and our higher education colleagues on this exciting initiative. Indiana Tech is committed to increasing affordability and access for students and help improve the college-going rate in our city and state. Indiana Tech has witnessed the positive impact on college enrollments when students have early access to college courses and when barriers such as cost are reduced, we also know that when students gain a head start on college, their confidence levels grow and attending college becomes real.”
The Higher Education Coalition is a partnership between Fort Wayne Community Schools, Indiana Institute of Technology, Indiana University Fort Wayne, Ivy Tech Community College, Manchester University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Trine University, and Vincennes University.
The coalition helps pave the way for students from within the Fort Wayne Community Schools district to continue into higher education. Every student within Fort Wayne Community Schools who graduates with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher will receive guaranteed admission into all seven colleges and universities within the coalition. Additionally, students within the school system will also have free dual-credit opportunities before they even graduate from high school, helping them get a head start on their college education while also making the potential for a college degree less expensive and quicker to achieve. Students who participate in these dual credit opportunities will also have access to college experiences, such as the use of college and university libraries, tutoring services, and campus visits.
Dr. Mark Daniel, the superintendent of Fort Wayne Community Schools, said, “Fort Wayne Community Schools has long partnered with local colleges and universities to provide college credit to our students, but this agreement takes these partnerships to a new level, ensuring all students have access to college courses before graduating from high school.”
The Higher Education Coalition has been established with a three-year agreement. Students from Fort Wayne Community Schools who wish to participate in the program can work with their counselors, who in turn are working directly with each school within the coalition.
For more information about Indiana Tech, visit the school’s website.