Summer Bridge program offered to area students

Hanceville, AL — Wallace State Community College announces it will once again offer its Start Right Summer Bridge program for qualified students who may need help bridging the gap between high school and college to avoid taking remedial classes in English or math. The program helps students save time and money as they begin their college education and gives them a leg up as they also learn about Wallace State and all it offers in student support services.

This will be the second year for the program thanks to the renewal of a grant from the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. This year’s grant totals more than $63,000 and Wallace State is one of seven institutions that were funded by the grant.

Through the grant, more than $3,500 in resources are provided to each student, including certifications, gas stipend, one free class and lunch each day the student is on campus. Students could also see a savings of up to almost $2,000 by avoiding developmental level courses.

“The Start Right Summer Bridge program began as a way to help students who may have fallen behind during the pandemic,” said Christine Wiggins, Title III Coordinator. “We wanted to offer a way for them to catch up in these basic courses so that they don’t fall further behind and so they can avoid the cost of taking developmental level classes.”

Students are tutored in math and/or English and then take an assessment test at the end of their session, with the goal to have them enter college in the fall and enroll in college-level subjects. Most all the students who took part in last year’s Summer Bridge program did level up to those college-level courses and enrolled in classes at Wallace State in Fall 2022.

Participating students also learn how to adapt to college courses, how to use college technology, about the college and its services, and connect with fellow students and Wallace State faculty and staff.

The program is open to students who scored under 18 on the math and/or English sections of the ACT. If they did not take the ACT, a GPA lower than 2.75 plus a grade lower than a B in Algebra II or English IV is required. Classes are held on campus two days a week and online two days a week.

Sessions are scheduled for June 12-29 and July 24-Aug. 10. Apply today at https://bit.ly/WSCCBridge

For more information about the program, contact Wiggins at 256.352.8462 or christine.wiggins@wallacestate.edu.

Registration for summer and fall semesters is underway. Summer 2023 classes begin May 24. Fall 2023 classes begin Aug. 18. For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu, call 256.352.8000 or come by Lion Central in the lobby of the James C. Bailey Center Monday-Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or Friday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.