Valdosta, GA – Wiregrass Georgia Technical College graduate, Kaitlyn Hunt, was likely one of the college’s youngest students when she started college while in high school. Kaitlyn started college when she was 14 years old prior to the cap on the number of 30 hours high school students could earn through the Dual Enrollment program. As a homeschooled student, she graduated from high school the same year she earned an Associate of Applied Science in Hotel/Restaurant/Tourism Management Degree, and Certificates in Hotel Specialist and Technical Specialist from Wiregrass Tech. After graduating from Wiregrass, she enrolled at Valdosta State University taking advantage of the articulation agreement between the two colleges. She received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Valdosta State in 2020 and 2021. She earned her bachelors in Organizational Leadership and a Minor in Public Administration and her Master’s in Public Administration, Public Policy Track. Kaitlyn is an Enrollment Counselor at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC).
“When I first started dual enrollment, I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do with my life. Originally, I was looking at the Surgical Tech program, but that wasn't available to students under 18. I chose Business for the first semester because it was a diverse option,” shared Kaitlyn. “After getting into the classroom and connecting with the instructors I was able to get some more guidance. I found out about the Hotel/Restaurant/Tourism Management degree after submitting projects for an event planning business and talking about my love for travel.” She felt choosing this career path while at Wiregrass helped launch her in the right direction. Kaitlyn credits her instructor at Wiregrass, Mrs. Foksey; and Mrs. Howard, for advising her of the different opportunities as a dual enrollment student and graduating with a four-year degree at a young age. “They informed me of graduate school - something that I didn't have much knowledge of, which led me down a path of research for an entire month. Being a first-generation college student and having been homeschooled, I didn’t have many opportunities to connect with professionals and get guidance on college/careers prior to Wiregrass, so this was truly life-changing for me,” shared Kaitlyn. She learned about the articulation agreement between Wiregrass Tech and Valdosta State which lead her to earn her Organizational Leadership degree. While at Valdosta State her coursework led her to her Master’s Degree in Public Administration and drove her to work in higher education today. “I can’t explain the sense of belonging I’ve felt throughout my time in the field. As cliché as it sounds, I don’t think I necessarily chose this career path, but it found its way to me,” added Kaitlyn.
She feels had it not been for Wiregrass’ Dual Enrollment program she would not have been able to graduate college with as little debt as she did. Because of her degree with Wiregrass, she was able to land a job after graduation and was able to make more than individuals with a high school diploma and managed to keep that job throughout the majority of her time in college at Valdosta State. “I felt more prepared when I transferred to the four-year degree because I knew what to expect thanks to the online classes and in-person college classed she took at Wiregrass,” shared Kaitlyn. She shared that one of the biggest things Wiregrass assisted her with was the assistantship it got her at Valdosta State during graduate school. Because o her background with Wiregrass and her degree focus, she landed the role of the Graduate Assistant for the Honors College at Valdosta State. This assistantship sealed the deal for her career and lead her into higher education permanently.
Now in her role as an Enrollment Counselor at ABAC, she knows the pressure for students in middle and high school to know what they want to do with their lives before stepping foot into college. She credits Dual Enrollment as a great way for students to enroll in college courses and get hands-on experience with working professionals of all different backgrounds to see for themselves what career path might be a good fit. “I’m proof of that,” shared Kaitlyn, “I always share this with high school students I meet, as they often feel the same pressure I once did. It’s important to stress to students of all walks of life that it is never too late to make a change.”
Wiregrass’ Dual Enrollment program was the first in Georgia to receive national accreditation from the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). Concurrent enrollment is the method of offering college courses to high school students for college credit by credentialing a high school instructor to teach the course content. The accreditation Wiregrass received provides evidence that those courses meet college-level rigor, are presented and taught in the same manner as other college faculty-taught courses and that the college is adhering to its policies and procedures with each course taught at the high school. Concurrent Enrollment is one method of delivery for Wiregrass’s successful dual enrollment program.
Wiregrass is accepting new students for classes for Summer beginning May 15 and Summer Express classes starting May 31. To learn more about Dual Enrollment programs and other programs visit the college website at Wiregrass.edu.
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Image: (WGTC Kaitlyn Hunt.jpg) Kaitlyn Hunt started Wiregrass at the age of 14 and graduated with her degree and two technical certificates graduating from high school and Wiregrass in 2017. She took advantage of the articulation agreement with Wiregrass and Valdosta State after earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees and now is an Enrollment Counselor at ABAC in Tifton.
