- Increase capacity to enroll more students, particularly those historically underrepresented in higher education.
- Broaden course availability, adding high-demand subjects aligned with regional workforce needs.
- Enhance student support, including outreach, information sessions, application support, dedicated dual enrollment advising and streamlined credit-transfer processes.
- Strengthen partnerships with select school districts and career and technical centers to eliminate student credit costs and provide targeted pathways to in-demand careers.
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California, Clarion, Edinboro, Global Online
PennWest receives nearly $1M for dual enrollment
Pennsylvania Western University has received $999,931 through the Shapiro Administration’s Dual Credit Innovation Grant Program to expand dual enrollment opportunities for high school students in Pennsylvania.
Dual enrollment provides students with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. At PennWest, students may choose from nearly 100 courses, all taught by PennWest faculty, for just $75 per credit for Pennsylvania residents. There is no cap on the number of credits students can take each term, and courses are available during fall, spring and summer sessions, both online and on any of PennWest’s campuses in California, Clarion and Edinboro.
With this new grant funding, PennWest will:
Over 30 high schools across western Pennsylvania provided letters of support for PennWest’s grant application, illustrating a strong regional demand for affordable, accessible dual enrollment opportunities. Since reducing costs and expanding its dual enrollment program last year, PennWest has seen participation surge by 66%.
"This strategic advantage allows families to maximize their educational investment while giving students a competitive head start on their collegiate journey," said Dr. Bob Mehalik, the associate provost and graduate school dean who submitted the grant proposal.
In addition to the new two-year grant, PennWest's dual enrollment program receives support from corporate partners through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. With the combined support of public and private funding, PennWest will continue to expand access to dual enrollment opportunities, prioritizing affordability, academic quality and student success.
“This grant and support received from our corporate partners enables us to make dual enrollment even more accessible and robust, ensuring Pennsylvania students can accelerate their academic careers and reduce the time and cost to degree completion,” Mehalik said.
To learn more about the dual enrollment program PennWest, visit https://www.pennwest.edu/admissions/high-school/.