IWA introduces new dual enrollment program with Texas A&M-Kingsville

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Incarnate Word Academy has announced the acceptance of the invitation from Texas A&M University-Kingsville for juniors and seniors at IWA High School to participate in dual enrollment admission beginning in Fall 2013. TAMUK representatives introduced the new dual enrollment program to students, parents and faculty at the Angel Avenue Student Center on Monday, Nov. 26.

The new memorandum of understanding signed with the university highlights specific goals for the Academy's students such as providing students with greater access to rigorous college course work while in high school; bridging the divide between high school and college, providing an affordable option to get ahead; continuing the transition of well-motivated students to higher education; and accessing new ways of integrating levels of schooling to better serve the intellectual and developmental needs of college-bound students.

Dual enrollment courses are more affordable than regular college courses. IWA students will be TAMUK students before officially graduating from high school, accessing the full privileges of university students at the Kingsville campus as well as other satellite campuses and centers. This program will improve the likelihood that dual enrollment credits will be transcribed from the university to other colleges and universities.

The Diocese of Corpus Christi recently broke ground on a new Catholic Newman Center on the TAMUK campus. This will provide a spiritual grounding for those students who may choose to continue university study at TAMUK.

This new partnership with the university may also grow in the future providing better access and opportunity for faculty training, certification, acquiring additional course work and degrees, and much more.

IWA will continue to offer dual enrollment English, U.S. history, college algebra, trigonometry, American government and macroeconomics in the fall of 2013. IWA teachers who already possess the credentials will become adjunct instructors of TAMUK and are invited to teach the courses we presently offer.

“As we are able to acquire or increase the number of teachers who meet the university requirements our course offering will expand. Courses with sufficient student interest may be offered by university instructors here at school during the regular school day,” Dominique Damian, Media Relations for IWA, said.

In the near future, IWA will discuss the use of the campus in the summer to design and implement continued dual credit offerings, enrichment programs and academic workshops for students.

“This is a very exciting step forward for our school. We are looking forward to the many opportunities that this partnership will provide,” Damian said.