FOSTER, W.Va. — Boone County high school students now have a streamlined pathway into Marshall University.
Marshall’s Direct Admit program is growing to accept students at Van, Scott, and Sherman high schools, as well as the Boone Career Technical Center. Designed by Marshall University President Brad Smith, the program provides a clear path for high school students who meet certain academic criteria to become automatically admitted to the school.
Education officials recently gathered to announce the exciting new chapter with Boone County Schools. County school superintendent Allen Sexton said on MetroNews “Midday” recently that the program is all about “reducing barriers.”
“As we know, in southern West Virginia, across the entire state, crossing those barriers of the red tape is difficult for any public agency,” Sexton said. “Specifically, you can imagine for a first-time college enrollee that maybe they’re the first person in their family that have attempted to enroll in college. It’s an ominous task to step up and say, ‘what do I need to do to get ready for college?'”
Sexton said that there are certain requirements that students must meet for admission. If they qualify, he said, they will have an opportunity to attend Marshall.
“Marshall Direct really has reduced those barriers,” Sexton said. “Basically, what it is for our seniors — what it means here in Boone County — is that if you have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and you’re on track for graduation, then you can apply to Marshall University with no fees and be certain that you are accepted to Marshall University.”
With the inclusion of Boone County Schools, 13 counties across three states are eligible to participate. Alongside three Ohio counties and one Kentucky school system, West Virginia counties engaged in the program are Boone, Cabell, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, Raleigh, and Wayne.
Smith came and spoke to students at the Boone County announcement. Sexton said it was great to hear Smith’s vision for the program going forward.
“He really drove home that idea that he says quite frequently, if you’ve heard him speak, ‘Marshall University is big enough to matter, but small enough to care,'” Sexton said. “Because Marshall University is investing in our state, in our students. He’s making sure that his administration is making sure that Marshall University is an academic powerhouse that West Virginia can come to and they can access, and we meet them wherever they are.”
Sexton said students, faculty, staff, and administration are all thrilled for this opportunity. He said it’s great for the Boone Career Technical Center to be included.
“We’re very proud of our technical program,” Sexton said. “It’s one of the best programs in the state, looking at per capita of students that actually access the programs. When you look at our outcomes, our state outcomes, as far as challenging programs and our accolades that we have won at a state and national level, we are preparing our students, and here in Boone County, about 92% of all of our high school students are finishing a technical degree prior to graduation.”
Whether those students are off to college or off to work, Sexton said the technical education is preparing them well. To that end, he said, the technical center will work in concert with Marshall Direct.
“Marshall Direct has many programs that we can feed directly into,” Sexton said. “So, those students coming to Boone Career Technical Centers receive a leg up, I guess you could say, and that they’re prepared for those academic programs available at Marshall University.”
Sexton said there are several fields that stand out in Boone County education that pair well with Marshall.
“Nursing is always a field, health care in general,” Sexton explained. “Our programs can prepare students for that first step, taking some of that initial coursework at that advanced placement or dual credit, we often call it here, that prepares them to step into college already having some of those hours accumulated and prepare for those programs. I love what’s going on.”
Learn more about the Marshall Direct program here.