Montana Tech nursing student’s dual enrollment experience highlighted at Board of Regents meeting

Grace Vincent, a sophomore nursing student at Montana Technological University, told the Montana Board of Regents at their November meeting on the campus of Montana State University, how the Highlands College Foundations of Healthcare Certificate of Completion set her up for success.

Vincent was part of a panel focusing on the dual enrollment experience for Montana high school students. Dual enrollment refers to opportunities for high school students to take college coursework. Students can take standalone college classes that they pick based on interest, or enroll in specific programs meant to tailor learning toward a certain focus, like healthcare or earning a commercial driver’s license (CDL). The Foundations of Healthcare Certificate Program is a 13-credit program launched in Fall 2022 with funding from Accelerate Montana, Futures at Work, and Butte-Silver Bow American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). It allows high school students to take dual enrollment classes and earn their CNA license prior to high school graduation, and takes one year to complete.

Vincent said she first learned about the Foundations of Healthcare Certificate at the Highlands College Trades and Technology Day, an annual event held every fall, where hundreds of Montana high school students are able to participate in hands-on activities for carpentry, welding, precision machining, radiologic technology, and more.

“The Trades and Technology Day was the perfect experience in getting to know the dual credit courses that are required,” Vincent said.

She explained how completing the courses helped her as she continued her education as a full-time college student. While in high school, Vincent was able to take several dual enrollment courses that are usually taken during the first semester of pre-nursing coursework.

“Taking those allowed me to focus on more challenging courses in college like anatomy and physiology,” Vincent said.

Vincent gave the Board of Regents her thoughts on ways to get more students to participate. She said that early exposure to the variety of options in higher education is important.

“I think having the access to advanced learning, and being exposed to different programs when you are in high school can help you really explore different career pathways you can pursue,” Vincent said.

Highlands College offers numerous opportunities for dual enrollment courses. For more information, contact Director of Community Education & Industry Partnership Kinsley Bennett at krafish@mtech.edu or (406) 496-4684.