Ivy Tech Community College-Northeast is now offering accelerated degree programs in Healthcare Support, General Studies, and Business Administration.  The Accelerated Associate Degree Program (AADP) is a three-year pilot project funded by Lumina Foundation, Indiana Commission for Higher Education, and Ivy Tech Community College and provides recent high school graduates the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree in 12 months.  The program provides at-risk students the opportunity to earn a marketable and transferable associate degree in just 12 months, rather than the traditional 2-year timeframe. This program is offered at no cost to the students selected.

Students participating in the program are identified while still in high school.  In order to facilitate the accelerated nature of the program, students receive their instruction according to a daily schedule similar to what they followed in high school with classes beginning early in the day and lasting through the afternoon. Faculty teams structure the rigorous curriculum in an inter-disciplinary, project-based format to promote learning across discipline areas and enhance student sustainability. Upon completion of the associate degree, depending upon the area of study chosen, students will be able to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program at a four-year institution or enter the workforce.

The program incorporates multiple components to improve student success in college, including early assessment of college readiness, remediation in high school and a pre-college summer boot camp.  It also includes fulltime study in the college program, a stipend to reduce outside work hours coupled with a full tuition award, a compressed curriculum and a range of student support services.

Currently, the program is available to FWCS students from North Side, Northrop, South Side, Snider, and Wayne high schools.  To be eligible, students must meet the financial criteria of the federal free or reduced lunch program, earn a Core 40 diploma with a minimum 2.5 GPA, and have an excellent  discipline and attendance record.  Participating students are also required to demonstrate college readiness and be highly motivated to succeed in higher education.

The inaugural class began their studies in August 2010.  They are going through the program as a cohort group, meeting 8-4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday for class time and 8-4:30 p.m. on Fridays for enhanced activities, lab time, and field trips. This class will complete the required coursework in July 2011 and will have earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Healthcare Support. Students have the opportunity to complete two certificates in this timeframe in the following areas: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Dementia Care, or Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).  The General Studies and Business Administration programs will be added to the AADP curriculum offerings beginning August 2011.

For more information about the Accelerated Associate’s Degree Program, contact Cindy Chenoweth at 480-2092 or cchenoweth@ivytech.edu.