The Early College Program at Trinity Washington University
Vision
Trinity’s Early College Program offers high school students a rich curriculum and a support network that fosters a love of learning and strengthens their knowledge and abilities to pursue a successful postsecondary education. Through this effort, Trinity strives to reduce Washington DC’s education equity gaps as well as increase the college completion rates amongst students of color, first-generation college students, and those students from low-income backgrounds.
Mission
Trinity Washington University’s Early College Program will provide well-qualified students with the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree or up to two years of college credits free of cost while they attend high school and earn their diploma. Trinity’s program focuses on preparing students to leave high school with a jump start; arming them with the skills and experiences to succeed in college.
Goals
Trinity’s Early College program design makes it attainable for students to achieve academic success by aiming to achieve the following goals:
- Produce a higher number of students to attend post-secondary school
- Increase the number of black and brown students to graduate from college
- Narrow the academic performance gap for students of color
- Expose students to rigor and increase their academic engagement
- Provide students with access and support to be successful in the collegiate environment
- Offer college credits that will be transferrable
About Early College Academy
This partnership is between Coolidge Senior High School and Trinity Washington University. Students who are apart of the Early College Program will receive their Associates Degree from Trinity Washington University and their high school diploma from DC Public Schools. The Early College Program welcomed it’s first cohort of students in April 2019.
The first cohort of students completed a Sociology 100 course the summer of 2020. Students who participate in the Early College program are engaged in a host of activities throughout the year that help to prepare them for a collegiate environment. Students will also complete a Summer Bridge Program in the summer of 2021 that will assist in preparing them for the next two years here at Trinity.
Trinity Washington University is thrilled to be able to provide this kind of access and opportunity to the students of Coolidge Senior High School. We are excited about the work that we will do together.
Early College Acceptance Day
Accepted Students Day for the Early College Program at Trinity Washington University took place on April 10, 2019. Students were welcomed by President Patricia McGuire and Dean Sita Ramamurti. The students who were selected for the Early College Program and their parents were provided an overview of the program. Students were given a campus tour and attended a mock college class.
Students were immersed in a collegiate environment and they were given an opportunity to debrief about their experience. Each new cohort will participate in Accepted Students Day. Students were given a peak into what it feels like to attend college and this event assisted in setting the tone for student expectations.
Students Attend College For A Day
Coolidge students participated in Shadow Day at Trinity Washington University. Early College students were placed in small groups and got the opportunity to observe a variety of different college courses. At the end of the classroom observations; students worked in larger groups to debrief their experiences in each class they attended.