ISU College of Arts and Letters dual-enrollment pilot program shows success in second semester

The program also almost doubled the number of high schools participating from four to seven. This includes Highland, Pocatello, Century and New Horizon High Schools, Blackfoot High School, Bingham Academy and Sho-Ban Junior/Senior High School.

The dual-enrollment program allows high school students in Southeast Idaho to take college courses while still enrolled in high school, with each course counting for credits at both levels. The courses available are ones generally not offered at the local high schools, and range from Elementary Shoshoni, Media Literacy, Art of Film, philosophy and more. 

“I like the early college program because it prepares me for college by familiarizing me with the ISU campus and the professors, and gives me a feel for what I should expect when I attend college,” said Amia Hopster, a dual-enrollment student from Highland High School.

One of the most enrolled course sections is Elementary Shoshoni, taught by Drusilla Gould, which is the only Shoshoni course taught at the college level in the United States. There are nine students enrolled in the course from three different high schools. 

As the program grows, the number of courses available is also growing. During the first semester, the program offered 16 courses. This spring, there were 20.

“Our goal is for this program to continue to grow in size so we can offer more courses for our local high school students,” said Holly Kartchner, director of Outreach and Retention for the college. “We want to be able to help as many students in Southeast Idaho be prepared for college, and we believe this program is one of the biggest ways to do so.”

For more information on the dual-enrollment program, contact Holly Kartchner at kartholl@isu.edu or (208) 282-5362.