TVEC cohort graduates from Cleveland State

From the Chattanoogan: A record number of students will graduate from the Tennessee Valley Early College at Cleveland State Community College this week. These 36 students will earn associate degrees a week before graduating high school.

With 150 students enrolled in the program, TVEC is a partnership program between Cleveland State and local school systems designed to allow students to pursue college credit at the same time they are earning a high school diploma. This goal is achieved by engaging students in a rigorous high school curriculum tied to the incentive of earning college credit during their freshman and sophomore years and of taking traditional college courses on Cleveland State’s campus during their junior and senior years.

“I could not be more excited for this group of fantastic students who will be graduating from high school with their college degrees,” said Cate Green, Cleveland State dean of Enrollment Management. “Thank you to our valued high school partners who have been instrumental in the success of this program. We look forward to Cleveland State’s graduation on Friday and the high school graduations next week.”

This is the fourth TVEC class from Cleveland High School and the first class from Bradley Central High School and Walker Valley High School. Cleveland State presented medallions to the TVEC graduates at a ceremony on Monday night. The medallions will be worn at the Cleveland State commencement program as well as the high school graduations.

The value of early college programs at improving student learning is supported by national research which has shown that students engaged in this model of instruction are significantly more likely to earn college degrees than other students while at the same time accruing less educational debt and having the opportunity to begin their careers early (thus having the opportunity for higher lifetime earnings), said officials.