The welcome mat of UT Arlington continues to expand. After partnering with Arlington ISD for an early admissions program aimed at increasing the number of high school students who earn college degrees, Mansfield and Grand Prairie school districts are now on board as well.
Memorandum of understanding signing events occurred Tuesday in Mansfield and Grand Prairie announcing this educational initiative. Bound for Success, as it is called, will award top high school juniors pre-admission to UTA, contingent upon their final completion of a college preparatory diploma.
"A college education provides students with a spirit of discovery, inquiry and creativity, awareness and sense of community all of which enable them to survive and to thrive in a rapidly changing world," UT Arlington President Vistasp Karbhari said. "Bound for Success is a warm welcome from UT Arlington to each and every student who aspires to a level of achievement that only a college degree can provide."
In Mansfield, pre-admission to UTA will be awarded to juniors in the top 20 percent of their class. The partnerships also allows qualifying students to choose dual credit courses through the College of Engineering and the "Project Lead the Way" Science, Technology, Engineering and Math sequence. Students may select a dual credit Criminology Criminal Justice program aligned with the district's Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security program.
Mouser Electronics Inc., a Mansfield-based global distributor of semiconductors and electronic components, and the Mansfield ISD Education Foundation, are targeting scholarship funds to support the students who enroll in the UTA dual credit engineering and criminal justice programs.
"I am so proud of this partnership and the possibilities it provides for our students," said Mansfield schools Superintendent Jim Vaszauskas.
In Grand Prairie, the program will serve every junior in the top 25 percent of their junior class. Students ranked outside of the 25 percent may also earn admission by meeting minimum SAT or ACT composite scores and other criteria, such as first earning college credit through the Tarrant County College or Dallas County Community College districts.
"This opportunity is just one of the many efforts under way in our school district to connect students with success after high school," said Grand Prairie ISD Superintendent Susan Hull.
"We are confident that this effort to introduce our students to a premier Tier One university that is close to home, affordable and offers academic programs aligned with our students' interests will be a win-win for everyone."
Elected officials, local dignitaries and district administrators were on hand for the announcements. In Mansfield, they were joined by juniors enrolled in the Engineering and Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security programs while in Grand Prairie pre-K students sporting "Class of 2027 Rocks" T-shirts were in attendance.
Another fringe benefit to the partnership: additional support. UTA admissions counselors and financial aid experts will be available four days a week on campuses and the University will provide three evening college preparation workshops and financial aid workshops per high school each year.
In November 2013, Arlington ISD became the first school district to partner with UTA on the Bound for Success initiative. The collaborative program will identify Arlington high school students ranked in the top 20 percent of their class at the end of their sophomore year for pre-admittance to UTA, contingent on completing the requirements for high school graduation.
Arlington ISD, Mansfield ISD, UT Arlington
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