Former ALSP students thrive in college classes

Many students who study for their GED testing at Southwestern Oregon Community College are going on to successful college experiences at Southwestern.

At the conclusion of Winter Term, 22 former Adult Learning Skills Program students were included in the Southwestern honor lists. Students earn recognitions for maintaining above a 3.0 grade-point average in at least 12 credits of college-level coursework.

“Our students are doing very well,” ALSP Director Hannah Abraham-Shea said. “It takes a lot of courage to walk into this building. The high number of honor roll students really supports the notion that we need to invest in those students who are not mainstream. I’ve always called them the rising stars.”

Most ALSP students initially showed up at the Newmark Center to improve skills in reading, math and English; for English as a Second Language offerings; or to study for the GED test. Many are from single-parent households and others are supporting families while they continue their education. All of them have some sort of barrier that makes it difficult for them to attend classes.

“It’s so much tougher to make honor roll when you’ve got bills to pay; you’ve got children to take care of,” said ALSP instructor Katie Paulson. “I think to make honor roll in the face of lots of barriers is really about hard work and wanting a better life for themselves and their families. A lot of them didn’t have successful experiences in public education before they came here.”

So far this year, 37 ALSP students have entered college. Of the 103 Southwestern students receiving their GED certificates this spring, 59 have earned scores between 500 and 649 to qualify for one-term tuition waivers for college-level studies at Southwestern. Eleven more scored at least 650 on the test and will be able to use six-term tuition waivers for their college studies at Southwestern.

“We’re trying to encourage students to not just stop but continue after they receive their GEDs,” Southwestern Vice President of Instruction and Student Services Dr. Stephen Schoonmaker said. “And they’re not just continuing; they’re thriving.”

Press Release Date: May 22, 2007