Semester success

Growing pains gone for eStem

When eStem announced its plans to build and renovate a high school learning space on a college campus, I know that a few eyebrows were raised. Mixing those two groups of kids? Well, I’m pleased to report that aside from an occasional flying Frisbee and longer wait times for a lunchtime meal in the Donaghey Student Center, the new eStem High School has flourished in its first five months on the UA Little Rock campus.

It’s hard to believe we walked down the halls with TV cameras, cut the ribbon with oversized scissors and opened the doors to shiny halls just last August. Since the pomp and circumstance died down, our students and teachers have achieved many noteworthy accomplishments. While our high school has grown to serve more than 450 students in grades 1012 this year, we have maintained the highest level of integrity in our school culture and academic performance as evidenced by the issuance of only six disciplinary suspensions this semester and the acknowledgement of our latest National Merit finalist, Noah Haynes. We have also dramatically increased the number of concurrent course offerings available this year ensuring that our students can continue on pace to affordably pursue the dream of a college degree.

At first, there were doubts from external voices about how a partnership might work, but luckily both of us did our homework. The studies of the UALR-eStem task force contributed greatly to our decision, which were published in a 2015 comprehensive document. Dr. Zulma Toro, executive vice chancellor and provost of UALR at the time, generated this 83-page report that detailed our model to enhance the education of both student populations while promoting STEM work-force development in Arkansas.

Since those plans became a reality, our institutions have settled into a relationship of mutualism. There are limitless opportunities at hand for both eStem and UALR students. Not only will many eStem students be able to eventually graduate with associate degrees, but they will be inspired by their setting to pursue higher education. Because they are in such proximity to an aspiring research institution, they are motivated by local opportunity and envision their futures ahead.

At the same time, our presence supports UALR students in pursuing the disciplines that make them career-ready: STEM, education, counseling, health sciences, nursing, psychology, audiology, speech pathology and many more. UALR education students are completing their pre-professional work and internships in our high school in greater numbers than ever (nine this fall alone) with more signed up to instruct and mentor our students this spring. In time, we see this relationship leading to a true labschool experience right here on the UALR campus.

Together, we are doing something groundbreaking: blending K-12 and college education. That was one of the points that drove former Chancellor Joel Anderson’s decision, and I am so grateful that he welcomed us to his campus with open arms. Being physically present on the UALR campus permits coordinated curriculum and a smoother system for our vision of seamless education. Typically, around 20 eStem students of a given class pursue secondary education at UALR. This year, before college application season even peaks, 16 of our students have submitted their essays and transcripts. We know that many more of them will take advantage of the local high-caliber educational offerings that UALR provides.

In the spirit of becoming a blended family with UALR, eStem will continue to pay for its impact on campus. We have respect for this institution and want to contribute to its growth ahead. This promise started with the rehabilitation of the historic Larson Hall at no cost to UALR for our upperclassmen students and continues with minimizing hiccups along the way. eStem is committed to continuing to fully finance our presence on the UALR campus by paying our own way as we grow with the university. As with any new venture, there will certainly be bumps in the road. In light of crowding in the dining facility, eStem will be transitioning in the future to additional lunch shifts; with crowded pickup and dropoff times, we are enforcing a new transportation plan this semester.

It is our hope that our students bring a sense of vibrancy and help the campus to thrive with a community feel. It has been incredibly valuable to expose eStem students to college culture; for them, it’s no longer an intimidating or exclusive place, but an exciting place to be. I’m grateful to see this change firsthand and eagerly await the long-term influence it will have on local college application rates.

The end of the school term usually means rushing to the mailbox or taping the report card to the fridge. How did we shape up this semester? B+ in my gradebook; while promise remains to make the most of the possibilities, we are off to a solid start with UA Little Rock.

I cannot wait to see where the second semester takes our students and faculty and what we, together, can achieve in this community.