Early College Program Expands at WestConn, Adding Additional Local Districts

Western Connecticut State University  in Danbury has joined with several local school districts to offer Early College dual enrollment programs for area high school students. The expansion of an existing program was made possible through a $166,000 grant secured by Dr. Stephen Hegedus, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

The program is administered by the Connecticut State Department of Education with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and is designed to encourage more high school students to take college classes. By passing college-level courses before graduating from high school, students can decrease the amount of time needed to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Dr. Becky Hall, professor of Mathematics, is working with the school districts to bring students into the program. WestConn is working with Brookfield, Bethel, Danbury, Immaculate, Newtown, New Fairfield, and has now expanded the initiative to New Milford and Ridgefield with the recent signing of MOUs. 

“The focus of this grant is to make college credit accessible to more students, including those who might otherwise not pursue higher education,” Hall said. “Early college courses are a step in the right direction for closing equity gaps.”

“The grant money will help WCSU offer more classes to high school students, which will benefit them and also showcase the university’s professors and courses to college-bound juniors and seniors,” Hegedus said. “This infusion of funds will allow us to enroll dozens or hundreds more students who can begin earning credit for college courses.”

About 200 high school students were enrolled in WestConn’s Early College and Dual Enrollment programs during the 2023-24 academic year. With the grant, the goal is to double that number over the coming years.