The following students were accepted into the inaugural cohort of the Lawrenceburg ASAP program and began this summer:

• Kelsi Amer, Switzerland County HS, from Patriot, interested in Business Administration

• Cheyenne Burress, South Dearborn HS, from Dillsboro, interested in Mortuary Science

• Isabella Gramaglia, South Ripley HS, from Versailles, interested in Communication Studies

• Bo Kaiser, Jac-Cen-Del HS, from Batesville, interested in Business Administration

• Leah Kirkpatrick, South Dearborn HS, from Aurora, interested in Mortuary Science

• Delaney Murphy, South Dearborn HS, from Aurora, interested in Nursing

· Emma Powell, Homeschool, from Dillsboro, interested in Nursing

· Gabrielle McGinnis Sparkman, South Dearborn HS, from Milan, interested in Business Administration

In the fall, the ASAP family grew by one:

· Elizabeth Langefeld, East Central HS, from Hidden Valley, interested in Fashion Merchandising

Students in the inaugural class of the Associate Accelerated Program at Ivy Tech Community College Lawrenceburg are only a few months away from earning a two-year degree—and they just began this summer.

The Associate Accelerated Program, known as ASAP, provides select students with the opportunity to earn an associate degree, traditionally a two-year program, in 11 months. The accelerated format of the program enables students to complete an Associate of Science in Liberal Arts and transfer their credits to a four-year college to continue their education.

The first group of students to enroll in ASAP began classes June 8. Eight students are enrolled and have the option to pursue a concentration in business administration, communication studies, or psychology.

Ivy Tech’s nationally recognized Associate Accelerated Program was launched in Fall 2010 at two campuses and was expanded this year to 15 campuses, including Lawrenceburg.

Since ASAP’s inception, the program has enrolled 441 students statewide with another 173 students enrolled for the 2015-2016 school year.

ASAP has achieved a 66 percent graduation rate within 11 months, one of the highest graduation rates in the nation among first-generation college students who are at a greater risk of not completing a college degree. Retention rates for students participating in ASAP are 90 percent, which is nearly double that of Ivy Tech students outside the program.

ASAP students are encouraged to think of college as a job. Students attend school full time, almost 40 hours a week. In addition to obtaining knowledge and hands-on experience in an academic program, students are educated in areas that are critically important to employers, such as time management and teamwork. Students attend as a group, which allows them to form a learning community and provide and receive peer support. ASAP also incorporates service learning, allowing students to give back to the community outside the classroom.

July:

· Breakfast in Eden Park; tour the Cincinnati Art Museum

· Summer Celebration: Rafting on the Whitewater River

September:

· Visit and tour Northern Kentucky University

· Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity at a build site

· Meet with an Indiana University East representative

October:

· Visit and tour Hanover College

· Fall Celebration: Trip to the Cincinnati Zoo

· Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity at their ReStore

November:

· Visit and tour Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science

· Learn about social media and public relations at Scooter Media Co. in Northern Kentucky; tour Rookwood Pottery

· Attend Ivy Tech Board Meeting and luncheon

December:

· Job shadow or independent college visit

· Celebration at Laser Kraze and the indoor trampoline park