Etowah County: East Broad, Valley Street and Wallace Drive campuses in Gadsden, Ala.
Dual Enrollment
Dual enrollment permits eligible high school students to enroll in college courses concurrently with high school classes. Students earn college credit for courses that meet the curriculum requirements of approved high school courses. Classes may be offered on one of Gadsden State campuses, online or onsite at participating high schools. Students may take courses during the fall, spring or summer semesters.
Dual enrollment catapults student to junior status
Mary Elizabeth Edmondson defied conventional academic timelines when she officially became a junior at Auburn University after just one semester. The 2023 Glencoe High School graduate was able to surpass expectations thanks to the Dual Enrollment Program at Gadsden State Community College.
“I started taking dual enrollment classes during the first semester of my junior year in high school,” said the 18-year-old. “I continued to take dual enrollment classes every semester after, including the summer semesters.”
Edmondson’s sister, Sarah Kate, took advantage of dual enrollment classes from 2019 to 2021 when she was a student at Glencoe High School. Because of her dual enrollment credits, she will graduate from Troy University in May 2024 – a full year early.
“When I saw what my sister was able to do because of Gadsden State’s Dual Enrollment Program, I knew I wanted to do something similar,” Edmondson said. “I knew I wanted to major in Accounting, so I looked at the degree map at Auburn University and noticed I could get significantly ahead if I took dual enrollment courses. Now, I encourage others to consider dual enrollment.”
Edmondson completed 44 hours of academic courses at Gadsden State, including Biology, Principles of Accounting and Calculus. She was able to complete all her general prerequisite courses before going to Auburn University for the Fall 2023 Semester.
“Thanks to the Dual Enrollment Program, I almost completed two years of college while also earning credits for my high school diploma,” she said. “If you have a passion, dual enrollment is a great way to get a head start and see if it truly is something for you.”
At Gadsden State, Edmondson maintained a 4.0 GPA and was on the President’s List during her senior year in high school.
“All of my instructors were integral to my academic achievements,” she said. “They were very helpful and professional. I truly value the education I received at Gadsden State.”
While taking dual enrollment courses, Edmondson remained an active and successful high school student. She served as the vice president for the Student Government Association, the Junior Civitans and Future Business Leaders of America. She was voted Most Likely to Succeed and a Senior Class Favorite. She was a member of the Glencoe High School Cross Country Team, which won the Etowah County Championship and placed third in the State 3A Championship. She also worked as a floral designer at the Gadsden Variety Store.
“Dual Enrollment courses are conveniently offered online,” she said. “I was able to successfully complete all of my college courses despite my busy schedule.”
Another benefit of Dual Enrollment courses is the amount of money students can save by enrolling in community college courses instead of courses at a four-year university. At just $168 per credit hour, Gadsden State can save almost $13,000 in tuition costs for students taking over 40 hours.
“Because of Gadsden State’s affordability, I did not have to withdraw $13,000 from my college savings account,” she said. “I’m now able to use my savings to earn my bachelor’s degree.”
Edmondson graduated third in her class at GHS and received a merit scholarship to Auburn University. She was also awarded the Kiwanis Club Scholarship.
At Auburn, she is a member of the Circle K Service Organization, the Emerge Leadership Program and the Auburn University Women in Business. She most recently became a candidate for Beta Alpha Psi, the international honor organization for financial information students. She’s active with Auburn Christian Fellowship and works in Event Planning for Auburn University Athletics. She has been accepted into Auburn’s Study Abroad Program and will travel to Spain and Italy this summer.
Edmondson is studying Accounting and will graduate in May 2025 at the age of 20. She then plans to go to graduate school to become a certified public accountant.
“I’m grateful that I was able to begin my collegiate journey at Gadsden State,” she said. “It was a lot of work, but it was very much worth it.”
Dual enrollment numbers increase during 2022-23 academic year
Gadsden State Community College had a record number of dual enrollment students for the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters.
“We continue to see an increase in dual enrollment students each academic year,” said Dr. Kathy Murphy, president of Gadsden State. “More students are recognizing the benefits of taking dual enrollment college classes while in high school.”
During the 2022-23 academic year, 1,537 students were enrolled in college courses at Gadsden State concurrently with high school classes. That’s an increase of 178 percent from Fall 2014 when only 276 students were dually enrolled.
“The increase in enrollment has resulted in additional funding from the Alabama Community College System,” said Tonya Douthitt, coordinator of Gadsden State’s Dual Enrollment Program. “We have seen funding allocations increase from $26,000 in the fiscal year 2013 to over $975,000 for the current fiscal year.”
Since 2014, over $5.4 million has been granted to Gadsden State for dual enrollment students. In the same timeframe, there have been 40 new onsite dual enrollment courses added at various high school campuses in Gadsden State’s service area of Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah and St. Clair counties. Eligible students may enroll during any semester or mini term and can be in general education or career technical programs. Dual enrollment courses are available in traditional, online and hybrid formats in addition to the courses available in the high schools.
“We have a wide variety of programs and course options available to our high school students,” Douthitt said. “Students can follow a career path that is high-wage and high-demand or they can explore opportunities in STEM-related academic courses, like math and science.”
Murphy announced at the May 11, 2023, commencement ceremony at Gadsden State Cherokee that 17 dual enrollment students earned certifications as high school students.
“It is remarkable that these young people are able to complete college course requirements to earn a certification before they even receive their high school diploma,” she said. “The Dual Enrollment Program put them ahead of the game.”
Eleven students earned their short-term certificate in welding while six students became emergency medical technicians. The programs require 28 and 12 credit hours, respectively. The certification verifies that the students are prepared for entry-level employment in their chosen field.
Students earning welding certificates are Michael Benson, Austin Davenport, Jesus Diaz, Cameron Gable, Braxton Garrard, Jackson Garrard, Riley Maise, Armando Nunez, Haddon Smith, Jackson Steward and Jesus Valdez. EMT completers are Hunter Bridges, Macon Cofield, Coalie Easterwood, Kaytlyn Gardner, Kinslee Pressley and Teiona Wiggins.
“These students have an advantage over some of their peers because they are able to go straight into the workforce right after high school graduation or they are already well on their way to earning an associate degree,” Douthitt said. “In the end, they will most likely earn their degree well before those who were not dually enrolled.”
Scholarships are available and are funded by the Career Technical Dual Enrollment Grant from the ACCS. Career tech programs and STEM courses are given priority when awarding scholarships. Books, materials and supplies may also be provided based upon the availability of funding.
To be eligible for the Dual Enrollment Program, students must be a high school sophomore, junior or senior. They must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 for academic courses or a 2.0 to enroll in approved career technical programs. Approval is required from parents and a high school official.
For more information about the Dual Enrollment Program, visit www.GadsdenState.edu/DualEnrollment.
