Three college degrees.
Cofield, 18, earned the associates degrees from Mott Community College while she was also taking her full high school class load at Mott Middle College. She took her first college class as a freshman in high school.
Before she knew it, she was graduating from both schools with top honors.
Cofield received the Phil Braun Award at MCC, which is awarded to the graduate each year with the most outstanding scholarship. Cofield, who graduated from MCC with a 4.0 GPA, is the first student from Mott Middle College to ever receive the award.
After looking at other involvements and factors, Cofield tied with one other person – also a first – for the award.
"Oh my gosh. This is so cool. This is so amazing," said Amy Frugate, MCC vice president of Academic Affairs, when she heard Cofield was a high school student. "She started in the middle college in ninth grade, (and) took her first college classes when she was 14 years old. ... She's determined to do this program. The students can graduate from the middle college with 24 credits but she had the determination to do the whole degree."
Mott Middle College is a high school program through the Genesee Intermediate School District, where students earn their high school diploma while integrating into college courses at the same time. Students at Mott Middle College graduate from high school in five years, but also graduate with at least 15 college credits.
Cofield is one of eight in her graduating class to graduate with their high school diploma and an associate degree or 60 college credits or more.
Students apply for Mott Middle College to either reinvent themselves or because they are ready for a challenge, said Principal Chery Wagonlander.
For Cofield, it was all about a challenge and pushing herself to be successful. She was an eighth grader in the Flint School District when she decided to apply for Mott Middle College. And the experience was more than she imagined, she said.
"(The challenge was in) just being able to prioritize my time and being organized. I was doing more than just going to high school and doing college. I was also in sports," Cofield said. "(What I learned was) knowing that I had the ability to do everything I wanted to do."
Cofield came from a household where neither of her parents went to college. Many of her friends were in similar situations, she said. That was her motivation, she said.
As a freshman, Cofield was not only taking a full high school class load, but she also ventured into a college course. She was only one a very few that did that as a freshman then.
She will also leave Mott Middle College the top of her class with 3.97 GPA.
"I just wanted to leave with (college) credits. I didn't imagine I would leave with three degrees," Cofield said. "In ninth grade I never imagined I would that good."
It took study time, sacrifice and hard work, but it was all worth it, Cofield said.
It was also about balance. If she had a hard course, she said she would make sure she got tutoring before she got behind.
Over the years, she was also a peer tutor and was in Phi Theta Kappa, an honors sorority at Mott Community College.
"I'm proud of myself," Cofield said. "I learned most about basically reaching your full potential. Anything is possible. ... Any high school student can do it. Age doesn't matter at all."
The bridge between high school and college
Cofield is an example of what Mott Middle College administrators hope to see from many more students in the future.
"She was able to keep her eye on the prize. She's really humble," Wagonlander said. "She just came in and she just took hold. She was just so motivated."
About 10 years ago, school officials began redesigning the program to encourage more college involvement with the students. Wagonlander said the focus of the school began to focus more on making sure the students realized they weren't just students, but scholars.
They wanted to raise the standards, but also raise the support.
Students at Mott Middle College are immersed in the college campus. In fact, unless they told anyone they were assumed to be college students.
Mott Middle College was created 22 years ago. At first student were encouraged, but not required to take college courses. Ten years ago, students were required to graduate with three graduating credits. Three years later that was increased to 15 credits.
The average college credits for Mott Middle College students slowly climbed from 1.2 in 2003 to 30.17 for the 2012 graduating class.
"Every single year more students broke the barrier of the associates or 60 (credits). More students broke the barrier of the 24," Wagonlander said. "It's such a boost for these students to have some of the college classes behind them."
Cofield said it wasn't just about getting the classes out of the way. Spending her high school years on a college campus, she feels very prepared to take the next step in her education.
In the fall she will be transferring to Central Michigan University, where she will hopefully have a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in psychology in two years. She hopes to then go to graduate school to be a physician's assistant.
Cofield was one of the speakers of Mott Community College's commencement ceremony on May 4. When she mentioned she had not yet graduated high school, the audience burst out in applause, she said.
"I was proud of myself. I felt accomplished. It was great to lead the class of 2013, even if they were all older than me," Cofield said. "I felt like I was a great example even though I was younger."
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Wow, this is an extraordinary story!!! Jasmine is such an inspiration; it's amazing how determined, focused, committed & steadfast she is. She's definitely going far!!!!
ReplyDeleteDenise/ATL