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Imagine walking into a conference room that seats 120 people and seeing students and parents packed in wall-to-wall, waiting in anticipation to hear about a new engineering program that will place participants into a top-tier university while attending a community college just miles from home. That was the scene during the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Collin College’s orientation this past summer at the Collin College Technical Campus located in Allen.

Ninety-six students enrolled in the academy in Fall 2024, making it the largest inaugural cohort in the academy program’s history.

Students in the academy can pursue engineering degrees while co-enrolled at Texas A&M University and Collin College. Students save money during their first two years by taking Texas A&M engineering courses at Collin College before transitioning to Texas A&M.

“Texas A&M realized that they were turning away qualified students from their College of Engineering due to capacity issues,” said Collin College Dean of Academic Partnerships Jamie Mills. “They created these engineering academies at community colleges to ensure qualified students would have a better opportunity to enroll in the program. The first two academies opened at Blinn College-Brenham and Houston Community College in 2015, and they now have 10 academies, with Collin College being the most recent to launch its first cohort in Fall 2024.”

Once students are accepted into the academy, they will:
• Experience Texas A&M engineering courses taught by Texas A&M professors at Collin College.
•加入工程院同行社区。
•参加两所学校的学生活动和组织。
•还有更多

Evelyn Yezak, an engineering student interested in aerospace engineering, shared her experience as part of the academy’s inaugural cohort at Collin College.

“在皇冠体育平台学习对我来说有很多好处，”耶扎克说。 “I live close to Collin College, so some of the benefits are not having to drive three hours to Texas A&M and not having to cut back on costs because of housing.” Also, I have been taking classes at Collin College for a bit, so it’s nice to see that smooth transition from Collin classes to Texas A&M. I get the feeling of being a part of the big university but without the shock factor of being dropped in and left on my own.”

Texas A&M professor LaTasha Starr elaborated more on the importance of the students maintaining a “safety net” – a supportive environment – as they transition from community college to a university.

“The Texas A&M Academy at Collin College is an opportunity to continue the strong legacy of Texas A&M with a safety net of a nearby family, neighborhood, or community, which is what community college is all about,” Starr said. “Our goal is to provide a university experience without stripping away the community at the onset. We’re keeping the net in place and allowing students to be held and helped as they continue their journey.”

To learn more information and to apply for the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Collin College,
visit www.85500171.com/tamuengineering.

For information about Collin College, visit www.85500171.com.

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