MERRILL — When Lost River High School senior Audrey Dugan crossed the stage at her graduation on June 6, she carried more than a diploma. Through Klamath Community College's Accelerated Learning program, Dugan finished high school having already earned an Associate of General Studies degree — and she made a little local history doing it.
According to KCC, Dugan is the first high school senior to be granted permission by her school district to wear a Klamath Community College stole on her graduation gown, along with a second tassel on her cap, recognizing both achievements at once.
The degree means Dugan will enter college with sophomore standing, letting her move straight into coursework for her major — a head start she says was the point all along.
KCC's Accelerated Learning pathways, which include Dual Credit and College Now, let high school students earn college credits — and in a growing number of cases, complete an entire associate degree — before they graduate. Nearly all of the coursework can be completed online, and finishing a transfer degree in high school can mean entering a university with sophomore or even junior standing, a significant savings in tuition and time.
Dugan credited KCC's Accelerated Learning staff, including Director Kelly Kandra and Coordinator Tawni Ellis, with making a process that "could have been really stressful" feel easy, pointing to the resources the college made available along the way.
For more information about KCC's Accelerated Learning programs, visit klamathcc.edu.
