For the second consecutive year, Lakeshore Technical College has been selected as a top 10 Bellwether Award finalist. This annual award recognizes leading institutions of higher education having outstanding and innovative programs and practices in community college education.

It is considered one of the most elite awards given to community colleges. LTC is the only college in Wisconsin named as a finalist.

LTC is a finalist in the Workforce Development category for College Here & Now®, a new program that provides high school students the opportunity to earn their associate degree without leaving their high school.

“Being recognized as a Bellwether finalist two consecutive years shows the extent to which our faculty and staff are constantly innovating in the name of student success, and it is only natural this is being noticed on the national level,” says LTC President Dr. Paul Carlsen. “We are honored that College Here & Now is considered a national model of excellence, and greatly appreciate the community partnerships supporting the program.”

College Here & Now launched in September of this year as a collaborative effort between LTC, the Sheboygan Area School District, and Lakeland University.

In its first year at Sheboygan North and Sheboygan South high schools, more than 90 students are currently participating in College Here & Now.

They are taking college-level courses at their schools, and are on their way to earning an LTC associate degree in information technology – web and software developer.

Students completing the program will receive both their high school diploma and LTC degree at the same time – without ever having to leave their high school campus, take courses outside of the normal high school schedule, or pay tuition.

The graduates can then choose to enter the workforce or transfer their credits to Lakeland University where they are guaranteed junior status and able to earn their bachelor’s degree in computer science in only two years.