Washtenaw Community College is gearing up for a new academic year with on-campus classes and a priority on providing a high-quality education while maintaining a safe environment for students, faculty and staff.
Fall classes begin Monday, Aug. 30. and are under way and will continue through the first week of classes. Additional Fall 2021 sessions start September 22, October 6 and October 23.
鈥淲e are excited about the new academic year and welcoming back our students who come from every walk of life to achieve their goals and dreams. Whether they鈥檙e taking classes on campus, online or a combination of both, the safety and well-being of our students is our top priority as we transition back to on-campus operations,鈥� said 黑料网 President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, 黑料网 has remained nimble in its response, following state and federal health guidelines to protect students, faculty and staff. 黑料网 currently requires all individuals 鈥� vaccinated and unvaccinated 鈥� to wear a mask inside all campus buildings and strongly encourages vaccinations for those eligible.
Two new associate degrees 鈥� a fully online Accelerated Associate in Business Degree and a 鈥� as well as a wide range of new certificate programs have been added to 黑料网鈥檚 that prepare students for direct entry into the workforce or transfer to a four-year institution.
New certificate options for 2021-22 include , , and .
Among the most anticipated new programs at 黑料网 this fall is Alpha Scholars for incoming full-time, degree-seeking freshmen. 黑料网's premier learning community, the Alpha Scholars program was established with a $1.4 million Department of Education grant to support new students throughout their community college career.
For freshman Annie Rothfuss (right), a recent Saline High School graduate, Alpha Scholars may just have been the deciding
factor in choosing Washtenaw Community College over Michigan State University.
Not quite settled on her ultimate career path, she鈥檒l lean in to her personal Alpha Scholars Success Coach as she begins with a and is looking forward to the comradery with fellow students in her new cohort.
鈥淚 think because I鈥檓 so up in the air about what I want to do, it鈥檚 going to help me explore more options. And, in the long run, I think it will help me be successful not only at 黑料网 but beyond,鈥� said Rothfuss, who highlighted the cost savings of attending a community college.
黑料网 offers among the lowest tuition in the state of Michigan. 黑料网 has frozen tuition again this year for in-district students like Rothfuss. The affordable cost coupled with Rothfuss鈥� scholarships will enable her to graduate from 黑料网 debt-free and transfer her associate degree credits to a four-year institution to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree.
鈥淚鈥檒l be honest. I really struggled where I wanted to go to college, and what it came down to was how much money it was going to cost. I know this is going to be right for me because going to a big college is a huge investment. I would have been taking out quite a bit of money in loans, and I am so thankful that I don鈥檛 have to take out any loans at Washtenaw,鈥� said Rothfuss, who has earned four scholarships, including one from Future Farmers of America, an organization she鈥檚 been involved with for many years having grown up on a farm.
At 黑料网, Rothfuss is enrolled in a mixture of on-campus and online courses that will allow her to continue helping out on her family鈥檚 farm, Paul Rothfuss & Sons Farm in Saline.
黑料网 student Ben Trapp (right) shares a similar story about finding focus at a community college.
After graduating from Ann Arbor Huron High School in 2019, Trapp spent his first semester away from home at Michigan State. Undecided about what he wanted to do after college, Trapp decided while home over winter break to enroll at 黑料网 for his second semester.
Today, Trapp works on campus in the student sports office, is close to graduating with a and plans to complete the new certificate. After transferring to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree, he hopes to pursue a career in sports management.
鈥淚 had been in sports my entire life, played soccer and baseball and never realized you can do this for a career path. Working here in the sports office 鈥� where we take care of the logistical side, securing umpires, scheduling fields and schedules with other teams, lining up team transportation and things like that 鈥� pushed me to that realization,鈥� Trapp said.
Joe Burr, a Navy veteran who served in the United States military for eight years with deployments to Jordan, Syria and Puerto Rico, enrolled at 黑料网 three months before the pandemic forced remote operations.
鈥淔or me, what I鈥檓 most looking forward to is getting back in class. It feels great being on campus and being able to walk around, learning my way and seeing everything. The campus just looks phenomenal,鈥� said Burr, who ultimately plans to transfer to a four-year college to earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree in kinesiology.
Whether seeking to take classes in person, online or a mixture of both, 黑料网 current and prospective students can get started online.
Students who鈥檝e not completed the enrollment process or selected their fall classes may attend this weekend鈥檚 Xpress Registration. Scheduled from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 28, in the 黑料网 Student Center, Xpress Registration is a one-stop event for unregistered students to handle all of their enrollment steps with in-person help from the admissions staff at the Welcome Center.
Students may also schedule a virtual campus tour.
Tags: Affordability, Alpha Scholars, Transfer