Associate in Engineering partners with Early College Academy to offer a STEM Pathway
Published: Wednesday, February 05, 2020
Johnston Community College’s Associate in Engineering Program is excited to announce
it has expanded its partnership with Early College Academy (ECA), an innovative high
school through Johnston County Schools. Starting fall 2020 the new STEM Pathway with
the Early College Academy will accept 25 high achieving freshmen to ECA who will pursue
the Associate in Engineering Degree or Associate in Science Degree with a concentration
in Engineering! As with general ECA students, the STEM Pathway students will be dual
enrolled and take a combination of high school and college courses each semester,
starting in their freshman year. STEM Pathway students, however, will follow a more
rigorous degree plan and course load.
Lance Gooden, Department Chair over the Engineering Program says “Students accepted to the STEM Pathway at the Early College Academy will thrive a technology-enriched curriculum designed to activate analytical, critical, and inventive thinking. My faculty and I are committed to preparing students to drive innovation and adapt to new circumstances and processes in the 21st century STEM workforce.”
JCC is the only North Carolina community college with an Engineering-Focused STEM
Pathway within an innovative high school located on its campus. This partnership gives
our cohort unprecedented access to collegiate level faculty, resources, facilities,
student activities and more. The STEM Pathway is designed to be a unique educational
experience that marries college level course work with engaging co and extra-curricular
activities. Students can “engineer” their 5 year dual enrollment experience by participating
in a number of activities including Robotics, STEM Camps, internships, special presentations,
workshops, community service, math team, engineering club and more! Faculty will be
actively involved with the cohort by providing direct advising, leadership development,
mentorship and academic support.
Our inaugural cohort starts fall 2020 and will experience our new state of the art 50,000 square foot engineering building by their 10th grade year! The STEM Pathway kicks off late summer with our L.A.U.N.C.H (Learn. Achieve. Understand. Network. Connect. Help) Orientation! For more information, please contact Lance Gooden, Department Chair of Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, History and Economics