Homeschoolers tour Sowela’s Morgan Smith campus to learn about dual enrollment
Published 12:20 pm Sunday, July 16, 2023
Sowela Surgical Technology Director Amy Broussard discusses nursing and medical field programs with students and their parents Friday at Sowela Technical Community College's Morgan Smith campus in Jennings. High school juniors and seniors can enroll in a dual enrollment program to earn college credits before getting their diploma. (Doris Maricle / American Press)
Sowela Instructional Site Coordinator Adrienne Abel discusses options available to high school juniors and seniors Friday during a homeschoolers tour of the Morgan Smith campus in Jennings. Local home school students and their parents toured the campus and visited with faculty members to learn more about opportunities available through the school's dual enrollment program. (Doris Maricle / American Press)
Sowela Dual Enrollment Coordinator Jeremy Ryder discusses dual enrollment options Friday with Landon McGee, 16, of Gueydan during a tour of the Sowela Technical College's Morgan Smith campus in Jennings. McGee, who plans to pursue a welding career after graduation, is considering the dual enrollment to earn college credits before receiving his diploma. (Doris Maricle / American Press)
Rylee Meche, 16, of Jennings tours the nursing department at the Sowela Technical Community College's Morgan Smith campus in Jennings. Sowela opened the campus to local homeschool students to learn more about dual enrollment programs and earning college credits before receiving their diploma. (Doris Maricle / American Press)
Sowela Technical Community College opened its Morgan Smith campus in Jennings on Friday to home school students to promote dual enrollment opportunities and showcase future career paths.
The event allowed homeschoolers and their parents from throughout Southwest Louisiana to tour the campus, visit with faculty members and learn the options available to juniors and seniors through the dual enrollment program.
“Dual enrollment allows students to enroll in a college level course that earns college and high school credits,” Sowela Dual Enrollment Coordinator Jeremy Ryder said.
Ryder said the program is a transition between high school and college.
By enrolling in the program, high school juniors and seniors can receive credits toward graduation, earn college credits before getting their diploma and seek a potential career path.
“We want to be able to expose the community to the opportunities for higher education, what higher education is about and what is available to them locally,” Instructional Site Coordinator Adrienne Abel said. “If we don’t present it to them, they may not know about it or what the campus has to offer.”
More than 30 program options including business, culinary arts, welding and nursing are offered at Sowela campuses in Lake Charles, Jennings, Leesvile and Oakdale.
Sixteen-year-old Landon McGee of Gueydan attended the informational session with his mother.
“I want to see what opportunities they have and look around to see what is in the area,” McGee said.
McGee said he is interested in welding because it is something he has always done on his family’s farm.
“There are a lot of careers around here in welding from marine stuff like oil rigs to welding for the plants,” he said.
Rylee Meche, 16, of Jennings wanted to learn more about medical programs. Meche, who will be a junior this year, is considering a career in the medical or surgical field.
“I want to learn more about the different fields and what I may be doing for college,” Meche said.
Her mother, Leah Meche, who visited the campus for the first time Friday, was amazed at the state-of-the-art facility.
“I’m amazed at how everything is up-to-date,” she said. “This is like a hidden gem in Jennings.”
For more information about dual enrollment or tours, contact Ryder at 337-421-6983.
