By Jeff Murphy,
February 9, 2016
WARRENSBURG, MO – In a ceremony at Warrensburg High School today, University of Central
Missouri and Warrensburg R-VI School District leaders announced a new partnership
to provide students a guided path – the Innovation Track – to a high school diploma
and the potential to complete a four-year college degree within three years after
their high school graduation.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to collaborate with the Warrensburg R-VI School
District to make the Innovation Track possible,” said Charles Ambrose, UCM president.
“Through initiatives such as The Missouri Innovation Campus (The MIC) in Lee’s Summit,
that was initiated in 2012, the university is partnering with public schools, community
colleges, and businesses to create programs that address issues such as college debt
load, accelerated degrees, and opportunities for internships that will provide students
with job-ready skills.”
“The Innovation Track allows us to bring some aspects of The MIC model to the local
community, specifically a pathway to complete a four-year degree in less time, while
reducing the cost of a higher education,” he said. “Although there is much more exploration
needed, as education partners, we hope to work with the school district and the Warrensburg
community to consider and create other opportunities such as internships to help better
prepare students for the workplace.”
The Innovation Track between WHS and UCM provides a guided pathway for students to
complete up to 30 hours of college credit while still in high school. By doing so,
they could potentially earn a four-year degree approximately one year earlier than
students who pursue a more traditional education path.
Ambrose said the pathway focuses on dual credit courses, which enable students to
obtain college credit and high school credit at the same time. Through the program,
students will save up to 60 percent on their college tuition per dual credit course
taken during high school, although they will incur full tuition and applicable fees
for courses they take at UCM after they graduate from high school. Additionally, there
is no application fee for dual credit students, and, in some cases, their textbooks
will be provided for free.
Other benefits for Innovation Track students include access through their UCM identification
card to a variety of cultural and sporting events at the university, and access to
student support services such as the James C. Kirkpatrick Library, The Learning Commons-Writing
Lab for tutoring and supplemental instruction, and to campus computer labs.
“We are committed to a program that offers a seamless path to a college degree, and
providing personal support from staff members at both UCM and WHS to accomplish this
goal,” Ambrose said
Scott Patrick, superintendent of the Warrensburg R-VI School District, applauds the
benefits of accelerated four-year degrees, and the opportunity to lessen the burden
of college debt on students and their families.
“Providing increased opportunities through the Innovation Track alone would be more
than generous, but UCM achieves even greater benefit for our students by offering
these courses at a fraction of the cost for traditional students.”
He added, “One of our goals as a school district is to provide our students with the
best possible opportunities to learn and grow. The Innovation Track program in conjunction
with the University of Central Missouri certainly accomplishes this important goal.”
Innovation Track courses are taught by faculty members with advanced degrees in their
areas of expertise, and courses incorporate college content preparing students for
future demands and their transition to college after high school graduation.
Dual credit tuition assistance is available to eligible students through the WeMET
Consortium and the UCM Dual Credit office at UCM. First-time, full-time, degree-seeking
freshmen who begin the Innovation Track in the summer of 2016 or later will be considered
for a $500 scholarship during their final semester at UCM.
Students who want to know more about the Innovation Track are encouraged to visit
with their high school counselor or contact UCM’s Dual Credit office at dualcredit@ucmo.edu.
Also visit ucmo.edu/innovationtrack.
