For Dr. Jillana Williams, it is all about exposing high school students to the collegiate experience.
“We are here to show them that a college degree is attainable,” said Dr. Williams, coordinator of the Early College/Dual Enrollment program at . “Many of the students we work with are potentially first-generation college students, so they may not have an idea of everything that college entails.”
She likes to refer to the dual-enrollment experience as a “test run of college with built in supports.”
“We take the stigma of college out by showing them what a college education looks like, not only preparing students academically, but holistically,” she said. “By this, I mean exposing them to the language and vocabulary necessary to navigate higher ed, how to register for classes, work with the financial aid department, talk to a professor. Basically, how to advocate for themselves. That is what we are empowering them to do.”
Dr. Williams said this holistic approach is critical.
“We can’t just talk to students about academics if they are struggling with food or housing insecurities or other issues that might be going on in their home life,” she said. “So our approach is relational. I get to know every student personally so that, when an issue may arise, I am able to talk to them, partner with them and help them continue to realize their potential and where they can go.”
Dr. Williams works year-round with the area high school counselors to identify candidates for the program. She said the university enrolls about 100 high school juniors and seniors each academic year, all hailing from area high schools throughout the city and county. Acceptance into the dual-enrollment program also guarantees acceptance into Harris-Stowe following the student’s high school graduation. For those students opting to attend another Missouri public institution, many of the dual-enrollment class credits are transferable.
Qualifying students take college level coursework that fits their individual high school class schedules. Students are typically on the Harris-Stowe campus six hours a day, several days a week, though Dr. Williams said a few may be enrolled up to nine credit hours.
The close-knit campus provides ongoing support once a student is enrolled, including tutoring and mentoring. Other wrap-around services include workshops, seminars and off-site employment visits with professors as part of their classwork.
“I call it the educational village,” Dr. Williams said. “All of us here at the university, the high school counselors and the students’ families, work together to give these students whatever tools they need to grow within the collegiate space.”
To learn more about the Harris-Stowe dual-enrollment program, please visit or contact Dr. Jillana Williams at williaji@hssu.edu (314.340.3601).
