Thirty area high school students receive Associate of Arts degrees from Crowder

(From Crowder College)

Crowder College has 30 students from nine area high schools or home school programs who graduated with their Associate of Arts degree or certificates this spring. The 19 students graduating with their AA completed 61 college hours while still enrolled in high school.

“This accomplishment requires a lot of hard work and dedication on the part of the students,” stated Melissa Smith, Crowder College Dual Credit Coordinator. To accomplish this feat students will take 6 semesters of classes, including summer sessions. Of the 19 graduates, one earned as Associate of Arts in Teaching and 18 earned their AA – General Studies. Eleven students earned their Certified Nurse Assistant certificate which requires nineteen credit hours and is completed in one year.

Student achieving this goal were not only focused, but may now pursue a bachelor’s degree a university as a junior, foregoing the normal two years. The CNA certificate will allow students pursuing a career in nursing to have a jump start on their pre-requisite requirements to apply for nursing programs as well as make them employable. Currently there are ten high schools partnering with Crowder to make this opportunity available.

Students earning their Associate of Art in General Studies or Teaching* include:

Hayden Fisher (Aurora HS)

Kathryn Juracek (Aurora HS)

Spencer Dawson (Carl Junction HS)

Lynsee DeGraw (Carl Junction HS)

Sophia Gutierrez (Carl Junction HS)

Corbin Schmidt (Carl Junction HS)

Courtney Stinnett (Carl Junction HS)

Joseph Dankelson (Carl Junction HS)

Carman Creswell (College Heights Christian School)

Amy Koch (Joplin HS)

Chandler McGrane (Joplin HS)

Jena Jungmann (Liberal HS)

Kylie Littlefield (McDonald County HS)

Elizabeth Green (Neosho HS)

Shelbie Neece (Neosho HS)

Emily Dunlap (Nevada HS)*

Lana Desmond (Homeschool)

Victoria Gaytan (Homeschool)

Christian Steward (Homeschool)

Students earning the Certified Nurse Assistant certificates include:

Carlyn Camerer (East Newton HS)

Sarah Campbell (East Newton HS)

Addison Kirby (East Newton HS)

Amalie Venli (East Newton HS)

Maisie Weston (East Newton HS)

Ellie White (East Newton HS)

Megan Arthur (Neosho HS)

Isabele Babbitt (Neosho HS)

Mariana Benavides (Neosho HS)

Cassondra Johnson (Neosho HS)

Danielle Tillman (Neosho HS)

Crowder College’s Dual Credit program earned National Accreditation in 2014 making it the first community college in the state of Missouri to achieve this status.