Graduation is here and this year Lone Star College-CyFair has 2,690 graduates, of which 1,941 are earning associate degrees, including 85 students from Cy-Lakes High School.
These students are the first cohort graduates of the inaugural College Academy, which is a unique Dual Credit partnership between LSC-CyFair and Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District.
Dual credit allows high school students to enroll in a college course and receive simultaneous academic credit from both the college and the high school. The College Academy is designed so qualifying CFISD freshman may begin taking a sequence of college-level courses through the Dual Credit program as a cohort. When they complete the program, students will have earned their high school diploma as well as an LSC-CyFair degree and be ready to transfer to a four-year university as a junior.
“Our strong partnership with CFISD has produced our first class of College Academy graduates. We could not be more excited about these 85 students who have now jump started their college education by earning an associate degree while still in high school,” said LSC-CyFair President Dr. Seelpa Keshvala.
One of the inaugural Cy-Lakes cohort graduates transferring to Texas A&M University in College Station is Haylee Moreira, who will be majoring in Biomedical Science. She said another benefit of the College Academy program was the ability to participate in extra-curricular activities at her high school.
“I learned real lifetime management skills which allowed me opportunities to participate in band practices, football games, and band contests with my closest friends, knowing that my grades wouldn’t suffer,” said Moreira. "I learned to organize, adjust, and prioritize. Now I’m ready to walk into that first class this fall excited and confidant knowing that if I was able to finish two years of college as a high school band kid, I can do just about anything!"
Following the establishment of the College Academy at Cy-Lakes in 2017, the program has expanded into all 12 CFISD high schools.
“We are proud of our partnership with CFISD, which has created such a successful program that is so easily replicable and continues to provide educational opportunities and benefits to thousands of students,” said Dr. Michel Rodriguez-Zuch, LSC-CyFair Dean of Academic Affairs.
Students interested in LSC-CyFair’s Dual Credit program should see their high school counselor. For information on the College Academy, go to LoneStar.edu/CFISD