FINDLAY, Ohio — College Credit Plus students are getting a jump start on their college careers while in high school. Some of them also got a jump start on a potential local career, too.
College Credit Plus students from New Riegel High School traveled about 30 minutes west to visit the University of Findlay campus on Friday.
Along with touring the college that is hosting the college-level courses, the students heard from multiple local professionals from Marathon Petroleum, giving them real-world understanding of a variety of jobs.
"High achieving students in the area that are trying to reach out, trying to learn. It's fantastic for us, it's an excellent effort on the University of Findlay's part to help them bridge that gap," said Tom Siebenaller, investment analysis manager for Marathon Petroleum.
These students also had a chance to meet UF College of Business faculty and current college students.
The high school students already have their sights set on college and hearing what majors and classes will help in a future career is valuable information.
"So you don't go to pay for college and then you change your major," Carys Allison, a junior at New Riegel High School, said. "It's really important to be set in your career and know what you want to do."
The work they do in high school will give them a head start when they eventually set foot on a college campus as college students, Kirby Overton, the dean of the UF College of Business, said.
"That helps them to better figure out what it is they want to study when they're going into college, so they have a better understanding of what they need to do to get to where they ultimately want to be," she said.
Many of the students will be able to earn their college degree faster since they are earning college credits while in high school.
It will get future professionals into the job field more efficiently, Overton said.
"Ultimately helps to keep that expense down, because we're seeing that this generation is very fiscally aware, and want to try to truncate their education as much as possible," she said.
This was the first partnership between the College Credit Plus program at the University of Findlay and a local business. Organizers hope it can become a regular event.