Did you know that Winthrop offers an incredible opportunity to area high schoolers through its Dual Enrollment program? Director of Dual Enrollment Erica Panton gives us a look into this popular—and growing—program.
Erica’s Dual Enrollment Q & A
Dual Enrollment gives students a meaningful head start on their college journey while they are still in high school.
Students are not simply preparing for a future college experience; they are beginning it. Whether they are exploring a potential major, identifying a minor, or completing general education coursework, students are immersed in the academic and campus experience with the support of our Dual Enrollment advising team and campus resources.
Just as importantly, we intentionally help students develop the skills they need to be successful in college and beyond. They learn how to communicate professionally with faculty, access academic resources such as the Writing Center and Math Tutorial Center, take effective collegiate-level notes, prepare for exams, manage their time, advocate for themselves, and build professional relationships.
And they get to experience the parts of college that make being an Eagle so special—attending Winthrop athletic and cultural events, working out in the West Center, participating in campus organizations, and even stopping by DiGs to spend time with a therapy pup (or eat Chick-fil-A). These experiences help students begin to see themselves as college students and as members of the Winthrop community.
For Winthrop, the program provides an opportunity to collaborate with school districts to develop innovative, rigorous, and student-centered partnerships that expand access to college-level learning. Our Dual Enrollment students are genuinely excited to be on campus and learning alongside and from Winthrop faculty.
We currently partner with four school districts:
In addition, we work with nine or more partner schools and educational organizations, including Legion Collegiate Academy, Walnut Grove Christian School, York Preparatory Academy, Cyber Academy of South Carolina, and homeschool associations.
Our partnerships take a variety of forms, allowing us to meet districts and schools where they are while creating meaningful opportunities for their students.
Yes. We are always open to conversations with additional school districts and schools that are interested in developing Dual Enrollment opportunities with Winthrop.
Our approach is intentionally partnership-driven. We want to understand each district’s goals, student population, academic priorities, and logistical needs and then explore where Winthrop’s academic programs and resources can create meaningful opportunities for students.
We are excited about the possibility of continuing to expand our reach while maintaining the individualized, relationship-centered approach that is so important to our program.
We currently offer several distinctive opportunities:
Language Immersion – Rock Hill Schools
Eligible students in the RHS Language Immersion program can continue their advanced
study of Spanish or French through Winthrop. Students take one course per semester
over three years and can earn 18 Winthrop credit hours toward a Spanish or French
minor prior to high school graduation.
Business & Leadership – Rock Hill Schools
Students complete three courses per semester over two years and can earn 37 Winthrop
credit hours toward a business concentration. Through our partnership with the York
County Regional Chamber of Commerce, students also participate in leadership development
and professional networking experiences that extend their learning beyond the classroom.
Education – Rock Hill Schools
Launched this fall, this pathway allows students to take three courses per semester
over two years and earn 32 Winthrop credit hours toward an education major. We are
especially grateful for our partnership with the College of Education, Sport, and
Human Sciences, which allows students to begin connecting their coursework to meaningful
field experiences.
Accounting – Fort Mill School District
Through our partnership with the South Carolina Association of CPAs and Winthrop’s
College of Business and Technology, eligible Fort Mill students have the opportunity
to take ACCT 280: Introduction to Financial Accounting at no cost. Students also participate
in a weekly professional development speaker series, connecting with global accounting
and CPA professionals, and have a built-in study hall to support their academic success.
Baccalaureate Pathway – Fort Mill School District
Launched this fall, this pathway allows students to take three courses per semester
over two years and earn 37 Winthrop credit hours of general education, SC transferrable
course work. We are also excited about the ways this partnership will expand with
the opening of the Winthrop University campus in Fort Mill.
General Dual Enrollment Opportunities
Students do not have to participate in a designated pathway. They can apply to the
Dual Enrollment program and take one to three courses per semester in existing Winthrop
sections, provided they meet prerequisites and seats are available.
We are exploring potential partnerships in areas such as Game Design, Music, and Arts/Theatre Education. We want to continue listening to our school district partners and students to identify areas where Winthrop’s academic strengths can meet emerging student interests and career opportunities.
Currently, we have 263 students enrolled in Dual Enrollment.
Our district cohort model includes:
We also serve 46 students through our general Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment population. These students enroll directly in existing Winthrop course sections alongside our undergraduate students when they meet course prerequisites and space is available.
There is a mix of course delivery, although our district-wide cohort model is primarily designed around the on-campus experience. Most cohort courses are offered in person, and you may have seen the buses arrive daily near Scholars Walk!
Whenever possible, we encourage students to take advantage of the on-campus experience because there is tremendous value in physically being part of the university community. At the same time, we recognize that every district and student population has unique logistical needs. For some of our high school partners, distance or the high school’s schedule makes online coursework necessary. We work collaboratively with those schools to identify appropriate asynchronous, synchronous, or hybrid options so that students can participate in Dual Enrollment in a way that works within their educational environment.
Before we build a new pathway or begin a new partnership conversation, one of the questions we ask is: “Can this be sustainably scaled while honoring the experience and relationships that Winthrop Dual Enrollment has become known for?”
Sustainable growth requires deep collaboration across the university. We work closely with deans, academic departments, faculty, and campus partners to ensure that Dual Enrollment supports institutional and departmental priorities.
As we grow, we are continually asking how we can better support our faculty and departments, align Dual Enrollment with their goals, and ensure that students receive the same level of care and academic support that defines the Winthrop experience.
For us, growth and sustainability have to happen together. We are committed to being ambitious about what we can create for students while being thoughtful stewards of the resources and relationships that make those opportunities possible.
Approximately 25% of our Dual Enrollment students go on to enroll at Winthrop as undergraduate students. And honestly, this is one of our favorite parts of the work.
We get to meet students when they are still in high school, watch them discover their interests and build confidence as college students, and then—hopefully—welcome them back as official members of the Eagle Family.
There is something incredibly special about watching a student walk across that stage knowing that, just a few years earlier, we were welcoming them to campus for their very first college class.
That full-circle moment is at the heart of why we do this work.
Thank you, Erica, for this helpful information on Dual Enrollment. Thanks to you and the Dual Enrollment team for all of the work that goes into this incredible program. Watch for our next Q&A where Mikayla Sites will share an update on club sports.
