Graduating With Their College Degrees AND High School Diplomas At The Same Time
Six Schenectady High School students will be crossing the stage as members of SUNY Schenectady’s Class of 2021 a month before they graduate from high school.
They won’t officially receive their college degrees until August, but the students in the Schenectady Smart Transfer Early College High School program will be College alumni and high school graduates during the same summer. They are the first group of students to graduate from the College through the Smart Transfer program.
They began taking courses at the College during Summer 2018 when they were going into 10th grade. Then, in Fall 2019, they all began taking courses full-time at SUNY Schenectady while they were in 11th grade at the high school. They completed their associate’s degrees this year through virtual online instruction after the College moved to that format due to the pandemic. Students in the program can then transfer as juniors to a four-year institution to complete their bachelor’s degrees.
Congratulations to:
Preetish Arjune, Science
Ethan Depoo, Criminal Justice
Devishti Jainarain, Criminal Justice
Ram Madani, Science
Brady Petrie, Criminal Justice
Gunesh Sahaman, Math/Science
Congratulations to the other students who have earned credits and completed the Smart Transfer program including:
Halle Fletcher
Meet some of these impressive Smart Transfer Early College High School graduates.
How do you feel about having gone through the Smart Transfer program and earning your college degree at the same time that you are getting your high school diploma?
I feel very proud of myself for making it and going through this experience. It is something that I achieved with a lot of hard work and support.
What class did you like the most?
I liked my CRJ 295: Serial Killers and Mass Murderers class the most. It was the most interesting and I learned a lot because of my interest in it. I had that same professor for most of my classes so it was easy to understand/get into that class.
How does your family feel about you earning your college degree?
They are also very proud of me. They have been supporting me since the beginning so they are glad that I am finally graduating.
What are your plans for this coming fall?
I will be attending the University at Albany and my major will be Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cyber Security .
Career Goal: I am thinking of becoming an Intelligence Analyst.
What class did you like the most?
My favorite class has undoubtedly been my Applied Electric Bass class because I was able to earn credits for something that I’m really passionate about.
How does your family feel about you earning your college degree?
I think that they’re proud of me for deciding to try and do this and for committing myself to it.
What are your plans for this coming fall?
My plans are to try to get a bachelor’s degree as well as continuing on with my band. Currently I'm planning on attending SUNY Delhi for Criminal Justice
Career Goal: My ideal career would be playing and touring as part of a band.
How do you feel about having gone through the Smart Transfer program and earning your college degree at the same time that you are getting your high school diploma?
Time flew by so fast. From the first day of orientation during the first summer, groups of kids going to the college and back on the buses to now just going through daily on the screens. It was challenging and a lot of changes to my life happened over this time. But overall, I am very happy I was selected and stuck through it; one of my biggest accomplishments yet.
What class did you like the most?
English 124: Literature and Writing. This was not mainly for the class content but mainly because of the professor that I had. The professor was relatable, funny, and told a lot of interesting stories and made the content engaging.
How does your family feel about you earning your college degree?
My family thinks that education is very important to our futures and definitely are ecstatic that I was a part of this program, wanting me to continue to at least a bachelor’s degree.
What are your plans for this coming fall?
The plan is to maybe move to Florida over the summer if I am accepted to a school I am applying to there. And If I am not accepted, I will stay in New York and go to the University at Albany to work on the bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Career Goal: It is always subject to change but so far, I would like to obtain a full-time job in the biochemistry field, maybe as a laboratory scientist.
What class did you like the most?
Calculus.
How does your family feel about you earning your college degree?
My family feels proud about me earning my college degree.
What are your plans for this coming fall?
I am planning to attend the University at Albany and my major will be Cybersecurity.
Career Goal: I want to become an Information Security Analyst and be able to install software and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer network and systems.
Funded through a $1 million grant from the New York State Education Department, Smart Transfer is a partnership among SUNY Schenectady, University at Albany, SUNY Delhi, and the Schenectady City School District.
As the first group of students in the Schenectady Smart Transfer Early College High School program graduate this year, they join a special group of students in the Schenectady Smart Scholars Early College High School program who, since 2014, have also gradated with college credits. Smart Scholars accepted its first group of rising 9th graders in 2010. Smart Scholars graduates have gone on to complete their degrees at SUNY Schenectady, transfer to four-year institutions, and enter the workforce with the skills and education they need to be successful.
