ROCK SPRINGS — Black Butte High School senior Quincy Stewart has been named Western Wyoming Community College’s Dual Student of the Year 2021-2022. Stewart is graduating from high school with 60 college credits from Western and 12 credits from a previous institution. In addition to graduating from high school, she will be graduating from Western with her Associate of Science Multidisciplinary Studies Degree.
“It is an honor when we can celebrate the accomplishments of an outstanding student. Ms. Quincy has completed 60 credit hours, jump-starting her college education by earning an associate degree while still at Black Butte High School. This was possible through our strong partnerships with Sweetwater BOCES and Sweetwater County School District No. 1.” Western President Dr. Kim Dale said. “Her accomplishments this early in her educational journey is a great example of how successful she will become.”
Stewart began as a dual student at Western her freshman year of high school. During her time as a dual student at Western, she has conducted research with Western faculty, Dr. David Tanner regarding the genome of the dune specialist bee from the Killpecker Sand Dunes. This research, funded by Idea Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), is helping to map the genome of the dune specialist bee from the Killpecker Sand Dunes.
Stewart will begin her first year of traditional college with an associate degree, research experience, and classroom knowledge to move onto the next phase in her education. Stewart is excited to participate in both her high school and Western’s graduation ceremonies.
“So excited, this is what I have been working towards for four years,” Stewart said. “It took a lot of work but, it is paying off.”
The goal of Western’s Dual and Concurrent program is to provide high school students with a head start, and better prepare them to transition to college or the workplace after high school. Students can explore their interests prior to enrolling as a full-time college student and still have the structural support of their high schools. Sweetwater Board of Cooperative Educational Services is an instrumental partner when it comes to Western’s College Now program as it pays tuition for dual students in Sweetwater County.
“Sweetwater BOCES has been proud to sponsor the Dual and Concurrent Program, in partnership with Western and both Sweetwater County school districts, since its inception. Our goal has been to provide the exact opportunities for students that Ms. Stewart has been able to access with such great success,” Sweetwater BOCES Director, Dr. Bernadine Craft said. “We at Sweetwater BOCES are extremely proud of her and all that she has accomplished; she is without question the epitome of a motivated and excellent student taking advantage of the amazing educational opportunities Sweetwater BOCES, along with our partner educational institutions, have been able to provide for Sweetwater County students,”
After graduation, Stewart plans to continue her education and start her university journey to become a heart surgeon.
To learn more about the Dual and Concurrent opportunities at Western, visit: westernwyoming.edu/collegenow. For more information, please contact Senior Outreach Coordinator, Alex Schumacher at aschumacher@westernwyoming.edu
