Six Students to Graduate From Community College of Philadelphia Before Completing High School at MaST


Philadelphia, PA (April 25, 2019) - On May 4, 2019, six students from the 2019 senior class at Mathematics, Science and Technology (MaST) Community Charter School will graduate with associate degrees from Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) prior to receiving their high school diplomas. The six MaST students are among the 1,881 candidates for CCP’s 53rd Commencement, which will begin at 10 a.m. in The Liacouras Center located at 1776 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19121.

 Nadeen Al-Saleem, Gilbert Drutsky, Marta Gorstka, William Hartner, Shiv Patel and Sara Wolfenden are all part of the second cohort to graduate under MC2, a special dual enrollment program created through a partnership between MaST and CCP in 2015. The students will complete high school and graduate from MaST on Friday, June 14, 2019.

 “I think it’s an amazing experience,” said Al-Saleem, who credits the program with helping her win the Liberty Scholarship, which will cover full tuition and board at Drexel University. “I know they’re super selective for who they chose for [the liberty scholarship] and when I said I was going to graduate with my associates I’m sure they thought ‘wow, that’s amazing’.”

 The MaST high school students entered the dual enrollment program as sophomores, taking a combination of college-level courses, alongside their high school classes. They will enter college with a high school diploma, 60 college credits and an Associate Degree in business or health care.

 “I could have my Bachelor’s degree by the time I’m 20,” said Hartner who was accepted to both Duquesne University and Temple University and looks forward to studying political science. “The two-year head-start really does help out a lot and it will save me financially too. Being here is a different experience from high school, its different classes, so that prepares me for whatever college I do decide to attend.”

 “The MaST and Community College of Philadelphia partnership has connected our students with a unique and valuable opportunity that most high school students are not given,” said John Swoyer, CEO of MaST. 

Programs such as these provide an accelerated career track for Philadelphia’s motivated and talented high school students. As more local students begin taking college classes during their high school years, Philadelphia can develop a more knowledgeable workforce.

“Our dual enrollment programs provide an accelerated career track for Philadelphia youth allowing them the opportunity to explore academic paths leading to a College degree and to enter the workforce more quickly,” said Dr. Donald Guy Generals, president of the College. “The regional workforce benefits as the city increases the college-going rate.”

The College had more than 1,400 high school students taking college classes during a recent academic year. Mayor Kenney proposed 2019-2020 budget includes a $1.3 million increase for CCP, in part to increase dual enrollment opportunities for Philly students.

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About Community College of Philadelphia
Community College of Philadelphia is the largest public institution of higher education in Philadelphia and the sixth largest in Pennsylvania. The College enrolls approximately 29,000 students annually and offers day, evening, and weekend classes, as well as classes online. Visit the College at www.ccp.edu. Follow us on Twitter. Like us on Facebook.

About Mathematics, Science and Technology (MaST) Community Charter School
MaST Community Charter School currently runs a K-12 charter school that serves more than 1,430 students. The school’s educational philosophy embeds STREAM (Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Arts and Math) into all aspects of their curriculum and learning environments.

Contact:
Linda Wallace
215-751-8082 (o), 713-302-9967 (c)
liswallace@ccp.edu