Gateway to College at STCC inspires Springfield student to excel academically

by Jim Danko

Springfield, MA (03/03/2022) — Sarah Jordan, a Springfield resident, made the dean's list at Springfield Technical Community College thanks in part to a rewarding and enriching experience at Gateway to College at STCC.

Jordan was accepted into the Gateway program in her sophomore year of high school. Gateway to College, an alternative to a traditional high school experience, gives students the opportunity to complete their high school graduation requirements at a college-based program while simultaneously earning college credits.

Some students also continue on to finish certificate programs, associate degrees and transfer to four-year colleges. The costs of tuition, books and fees are covered by a Gateway to College scholarship.

Jordan loved the Gateway experience, which helped her to graduate from high school a year early. In the fall of 2021, she was 17 and began as a full-time STCC student with a head start, having earned credits at Gateway.

Jordan thanks Gateway to College for helping to put her on the path to success and helping her land on the dean's list, which is published each semester to recognize excellence in academic performance. To be considered, students must achieve a 3.3 or above grade point average.

"I had such good support at Gateway," Jordan said. "Anita Gallers (the academic counselor at Gateway) and Katara Robinson (director of Gateway) were always there for me."

Jordan enjoyed the small classes at Gateway and the benefits of the program. "I was able to start college a year early. It was amazing. I loved it," she said.

As a full-time STCC student, Jordan in January 2022 learned she made it on the dean's list for the fall semester.

"I was really proud. My mom was really proud of me," she said. "I was surprised. My classes were hard, but I stayed on top of it and made good grades."

Jordan is studying in the liberal arts/general studies program at STCC, pursuing an associate degree. Her goal is to get accepted into the rigorous nursing program at STCC. She wasn't sure about what she wanted to study until the end of her Gateway to College experience. "I decided on nursing because I want to help people," she said.

In the fall of 2021, Jordan took prerequisites including anatomy and physiology, which she described as one of the toughest of her five classes. She would reach out to her professors when she had questions or needed some assistance.

"The teachers would always email me back," she said. "My academic counselor, Elizabeth Cantor, is very nice. Whenever I email her, she always helps me."

With the support, she was able to earn mostly A's in the fall. She's now taking classes such as anatomy and physiology II, computer science, English II and a psychology course.

Gateway welcomes students with a variety of backgrounds and challenges. Some choose the program because they experienced personal challenges that made the traditional high school experience difficult. Others contact Gateway because they don't find the right fit with the conventional high school experience for various reasons, including homeschoolers and charter school students.

Jordan stays in touch with Robinson and Gallers from Gateway, who, like her current professors, always get back to her and with answers to questions.

"I'm happy that we were able to be a part of Sarah's academic journey, give her the personal and academic support she needed, and offer a great school experience," Robinson said. "We're proud of Sarah's achievement and thrilled to see her continuing her education at STCC."

Added Gallers: "Sarah is a bright student who really took advantage of all the supports we offer students at Gateway. She took the tools we gave her and ran with them, and I look forward to seeing her ongoing success at STCC. We love to see them succeed."

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