GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A UW-Green Bay program that gives hundreds of high school students a head start on their college education is seeing a $1 million boost from the Wisconsin state budget.
The Rising Phoenix program began five years ago with a pilot class of just 25 students. This year, more than 600 students are enrolled in the dual credit program, and thanks to the $1 million in funding, even more students will be reached.
“This innovative program allows high school juniors and seniors to blend their coursework with college credit classes, effectively beginning their college journey while still in high school,” says Megan Strehlow, who works with the program.
State lawmakers, led by State Sen. Jamie Wall, D-Green Bay, secured the one-time funding for the program in the state budget, which will allow the program to expand to new districts and new students.
“One of the reasons I was able to secure these funds in the budget was that the reputation of the program had preceded itself — not just among my Democratic colleagues, but among Republicans as well. So, I would love to see a world in which there’s a Rising Titans program at UW-Oshkosh, and Rising Pioneers program at UW-Platteville, and so on in the coming years,” Wall says.
The money also allows the program to be run entirely through UWGB and its resources.
“We do this because we believe we should be for the common good. When the state makes an investment like this, they also believe what we’re doing is for the common good,” says UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander. “Our goal is to make sure students have access to education beyond high school, period.
If that happens to be at UW-Green Bay, that’s awesome. I think that’s okay to say that. It’s also awesome if they go anywhere else. We just want you to learn throughout your life and benefit from higher education.
Alexander stresses that the program cuts the cost of a four-year education in half and has saved hundreds of students millions of dollars on their education.
It also encourages students to stay local. Alexander says 34% of students in the program will continue their education at UW-Green Bay, and an additional 60% will stay in the Universities of Wisconsin system.
“But I want to emphasize again, that’s not why we do the program. We do the program because we know 94% of students are going to complete their degree, which is way beyond most retention rates and time to degree. You can get your four-year degree in two years,” Alexander says.
While the college experience used to be that a majority of students would go away for a four-year program, the new norm is students staying local.
“80% of people who go to college do it by either staying local or spreading it out in and out of their career and using college as a way to increase credentials as they move throughout their life. As an access institution, which means we should be for every citizen in Northeast Wisconsin, there should be value we are providing for you, so it’s straight in line with our mission. We’re about providing opportunities to students that make sense to the student; an affordable option that helps them launch their careers,” Alexander stresses.
With this in mind, leaders recognize that catering to and supporting local learners is key — especially since 75% of UWGB graduates stay right here in Northeast Wisconsin.
“Wisconsin has some demographic challenges. Every business you talk to is worried about finding the people they need to work for them now and looking down the road, and that means we have to do the absolute best with the people we have, and some of the best people we have are sitting right here in this room,” says Wall.
“Rising Phoenix is helping students stay in Northeast Wisconsin, contribute to their communities and shape the future of our region,” Strehlow adds.
“We know if you’re educated here, you came through school here, you’re more likely to want to contribute back to your community, and that’s what a university should be doing,” Alexander says. “This is what a university should be doing. We should be making sure we’re helping students find their route in education, doing it on the terms of the student what’s best for the student, and we support you and the route you want to go to to be able to reach educational goals and have it be a meaningful way to support your life and career.”
