Ivy Tech Community College and Madison Consolidated High school have a new partnership this year. Students from MCHS can now take certain classes at Ivy Tech for dual credit. Students can take classes in Written Communications, Speaking and Listening, Quantitative Reasoning, Scientific Ways of Knowing, Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing, and Humanistic and Artistic Ways of Knowing. In total, there are 15 dual credit classes offered, some of which are being taught by either MCHS teachers or Ivy Tech instructors.

By taking these classes, they can obtain the Transfer General Education Core (TGEC). The TGEC enables a student who satisfactorily completes an approved program of general education in any educational institution in Indiana to transfer that coursework to any other educational institution as 30 credit hours towards general education core requirements.

Since this is a new program, there are some things that need to be addressed. Genn Miller, who currently is taking multiple classes at Ivy Tech said, “Bus transportation has been difficult. If there is a substitute bus driver, a lot of the time they aren’t actually told when to pick us up from Ivy Tech or even to bring us there in the first place. The bus has been late several times.”

There are good reviews about this new program also. MCHS counselor, Lori Slygh said, “This is a great program, and the kids will really benefit from this opportunity. The classes are thought-provoking and challenging but that is what we want for the students. It encourages them to get out of their comfort zones. We are really hoping that more kids get involved.”

Overall, this partnership is giving students room to grow and blossom. It is something that the students who take on the challenge will benefit from and not regret.