By Claire Cornelius
For The Signal
Trinity Classical Academy awarded associate degrees to five 2020 graduates as a part of Trinity’s Dual Credit program in conjunction with Colorado Christian University.
Trinity has been a dual credit partner with CCU for five years, but this graduating class was the first time Trinity students took advantage of the associate degree option.
“We are so proud of our students and all they have achieved in earning their AA degrees alongside their Trinity diplomas,” said Loni Black, dual credit and scholarship adviser at Trinity. “The associates of arts program is a wonderful accomplishment and we are thankful for our partnership with CCU, which has been a blessing to our students and families. Seeing these first AA degrees conferred is truly an exciting day that we have all worked hard together to see realized.”
The rigor and dedication these students had, coupled with guidance from their teachers, allowed each of the associate degree recipients at Trinity to complete 44-55 credits in the dual credit program at CCU Academy and the 60-hour associate degree requirement by transferring in additional college coursework and AP score results.
“Some of the requirements for a dual credit class through Colorado Christian University is that our faculty have to have a number of years teaching that subject or a number of units in a master’s degree related to that subject or parallel subject, and/or have their masters or Ph.D.,” said Liz Caddow, founder of Trinity. “So we have a very qualified faculty.”
Alongside the five Trinity seniors who earned their associate degree, nine seniors graduated with more than 50 dual credit units, 23 seniors graduated with more than 40 dual credit units, and 32 seniors graduated with more than 30 dual credit units, according to a letter from CCU.
In the 2019-20 school year, the dual credit program at CCU Academy had more than 5,000 students enrolled at 165 high schools across the United States and internationally.
“What the beauty of it is they received the high school transcript for those classes, and then their college transcript for the dual credit from Colorado Christian University, but they can take that wherever they go,” Caddow said.
