A game plan for dual-enrollment outreach

“Emily Summers is rarely at her desk — and her employer couldn’t be happier about it. Summers is a dual-enrollment specialist at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) in southeastern Wisconsin. She’s usually out at area high schools extolling the virtues of dual enrollment to students, guidance counselors, principals and parents. For MATC, the face-to-face, hands-on approach Summers and her fellow specialists use has proven effective in increasing the number of students participating in dual enrollment. The college offers several types of dual enrollment programs, including a decade-long partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee called M-Cubed. “The key is to build personal relationships,” said Josephine Gómez, dean of community education and strategic engagement. “We work closely and continually with principals, counselors, parents and students to show how valuable, important and viable these programs are.” This article is part of a monthly series provided by the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations , an affiliated council of the American Association of Community Colleges . The personal approach is working, and the stats prove it: The number of MATC college credits earned by high school students has grown by 18% in the past two years. In the 2024-25 school year, 4,602 students earned 21,703 credits and saved nearly $4 million in college tuition through dual enrollment programs. Of the 80 high schools in the MATC District, 59 had at least one student in at least one dual-credit class. Summers, who has been at MATC for nearly four years, oversees dual-enrollment activities at 22 high schools in the district. She usually spends three days a week at high schools that have the most students participating in dual enrollment programs. She answers questions, explains programs and provides information. “Everyone loves the idea of free college,” Summers said. “The counselors are on board, the teachers are on board and many of the parents are on board. Being there for them has really helped.” Personalized outreach is one way for the college to reach its goal of increasing dual-enrollment participation by 10% each year. MATC has also hired more dual-enrollment staff and now has four specialists and two coordinators, Gómez said. The specialists closely monitor what programs and classes resonate most with students. “They know what the students in those schools want,” she said. “The great thing is with 180 programs, there is something at MATC for everyone.” The college also has: Held open houses specifically showcasing dual-enrollment programs. Included dual-enrollment statistics in college marketing materials. Improved the college’s dual-enrollment webpage by adding videos and interactive components. Refreshed dual-enrollment flyers, brochures and posters. A broader audience Increased and intentional messaging from administration, including MATC President Anthony Cruz, has helped raise awareness of dual enrollment with business partners, community leaders, deans and faculty, Gómez said. Cruz penned an opinion piece on dual enrollment that appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the city’s largest newspaper. “Dual enrollment is not just about moving faster. It is about moving smarter,” Cruz wrote. “It gives students confidence, reduces barriers to postsecondary education, and creates smoother transitions from high school to college and from education to employment. For many students, it is the first step toward long-term opportunity and stability.” At a recent gathering of regional employers, elected officials and community leaders, Cruz said dual enrollment is one of the most effective tools the college has to help strengthen Wisconsin’s talent pipeline. “Our future nurses, welders, cybersecurity specialists and entrepreneurs are on our campuses every day,” Cruz told the audience. “By giving them earlier exposure to postsecondary education, we shorten their time to completion, lower their costs and create smoother transitions into the workforce. “When our students succeed, employers fill these critical roles, families experience greater economic mobility and communities grow stronger.” According to the National Center for Education Statistics, dual-enrollment participation is growing rapidly across the country, from 1.5 million students in 2021 to 2.8 million during the 2023-24 academic year. Today, 34% of all high school students take at least one college course. Plus, dual-enrollment students are more likely to attend college immediately after high school, apply to more colleges and gain admission to more selective institutions, according to research by the Community College Research Center. At MATC, more and more dual-enrollment students will experience those benefits thanks to the college’s personal touch, increased marketing and intentional messaging. “Overall, we’re moving in the right direction,” Gómez said. “I believe we are at a tipping point. I feel that everything might boil over at the same time. The state will come up with the money, more and more instructors will get on board, and area businesses will really buy in. I am confident we are in a good position to take advantage when that happens.” The post A game plan for dual-enrollment outreach first appeared on Community College Daily .

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