Initiative set a course for family at Western Nevada College

Before a Jump Start program existed at Western Nevada College, there was a high school student who served as a predecessor to the dual-credit enrollment program.

That brave and enterprising Carson High School student later became a teacher — and has a daughter who just completed the program and another who just entered.

Alison O’Brien Holmes remembers wanting more when she attended high school — not more dances, not more extracurricular activities, not more vacations. No, Alison wanted to further her education immediately.

She didn’t wait. She met with CHS Principal Glen Adair and received permission to attend her local community college and receive dual credit toward her high school diploma and college associate degree.

“I took a variety of classes to find what interested me before deciding on a major,” she said. “It took more study time than the classes at the high school, but I enjoyed it. The professors made the classes more interesting and engaging. They were available outside of class if you needed help. They would take the time to answer questions and explain more in-depth if it was needed.”

Alison’s supportive parents helped her pay for tuition — costs that school districts now often cover for students enrolled in Jump Start. With less time to complete her associate degree than current WNC Jump Start students, Alison pushed herself toward her goals by taking summer classes. She graduated from Carson High School in June 1998 and completed her associate degree in December 1998. Adding to the excitement of graduating was the fact that her brother, Scott O’Brien, graduated at the same time.

“He was in the Army and was able to come home on leave so we could graduate together,” Alison said. “One of his sons will be doing Jump Start in the fall with (daughter) Andi.” 

She didn’t stop after earning her associate degree. Like many students today at WNC, Alison transferred to the University of Nevada, Reno to complete her bachelor’s degree. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Education in May 2001 and completed her student teaching at Fremont Elementary School that fall. She began teaching full time at Fremont at only 21 years old.

Fifteen years after Alison graduated from Western, WNC created its dual-enrollment Jump Start program. Since 2013, WNC has been offering juniors and seniors in many Northern Nevada high schools the opportunity to complete up to 60 college credits before they graduate. To ensure that these high school students are successful in their dual-enrollment courses, they are presented cohort coaches (academic mentors) and supplemental instruction. Their academic mentors answer questions and guide them toward college resources and tutoring, if necessary.

“I hadn’t thought about there being a program for high school students who wanted to get a jump start on their college education at the time,” Alison said. “I am glad that this program is available now for students, like myself, who want to pursue a college degree while still in high school.”

Alison’s memorable experiences of taking college courses while in high school impacted her own daughters, Stevi and Andi.

“I am grateful for Stevi and Andi to have the opportunity to attend WNC while still in high school to earn their associate degrees,” Alison said. “They are a lot like me, very motivated and determined to pursue their dreams and goals.”

“My senior year (mixed) online and in-person classes, and I enjoyed that even more. I was able to set my schedule and self-pace to complete all my assignments,” Stevi said.

When students returned to the WNC campus, Stevi discovered how Joe Dini Library helped her become more successful in her classes.

“Having the library study rooms was so helpful, especially when studying for finals,” she said. “This is something that I would have liked to have taken advantage of sooner. It provided the library environment without the distraction of others.”

Younger sister Andi has followed Stevi and Alison into dual enrollment and completed her first semester at WNC, taking advantage of the learning experience of on-campus classes.

“We think this is a great opportunity because not everyone has the means to pay for college,” the sisters said. “This provides support and opportunity for them to get an associate degree and then a career, or if they choose to continue to a university, this has helped with the first two years of education.”

Like her mom before her, Stevi plans to take the next step and pursue her bachelor’s degree. She just completed her first semester at UNR and is studying psychology.

“My plan is to become a therapist for children and adolescents, and later on obtain my doctorate degree to become a psychologist,” Stevi said.

Meanwhile, Alison celebrated her 20th year of teaching in the Carson City School District in 2021-22. She taught at Fremont for 19 years, including first, second and fourth grades, as well as reading intervention and English as a Second Language.

Last year, Alison moved to Fritsch Elementary School, which she attended as a child. She is teaching second grade.

“Both schools have made a huge impact on my life,” said Alison, who earned a master’s degree in teacher leadership from Sierra Nevada College in 2013. “I still keep in contact with former students and families. They both welcomed me like family and I continue to love what I do.”

The importance of higher education hasn’t been lost on Alison or her daughters, and for some, starting college courses doesn’t have to follow a high school education.

“It is a great opportunity for these students to get a start on their education or careers,” Alison said.

To learn more about WNC’s Jump Start program, call 775-445-3267 or email counseling@wnc.edu.

Winter session II begins Jan. 3

There are opportunities for students to earn college credit before spring semester starts on Jan. 23.

WNC’s five-week winter session classes began on Dec. 19. Students can fill out a late form to enroll in these courses until Dec. 27 but will need instructor approval.

If students want a break, WNC’s winter session also includes three-week accelerated online classes that start on Jan. 3 and conclude on Jan. 20.

To view winter session classes and their descriptions, visit wnc.edu/class-schedule/.

Registration for spring semester

Now that fall semester has concluded, it’s important for new and continuing students to focus on their education in 2023.

Registration is open for all students for spring semester courses.

New students can apply for admission and take care of other preregistration requirements at wnc.edu/starthere/ to prepare for the start of spring semester on Monday, Jan. 23. For information about becoming a student, call 775-445-3277.

Continuing and returning students can register for classes through their myWNC account.

To view spring semester classes, visit wnc.edu/class-schedule.

To talk to a counselor about classes, schedule or educational goals, call 775-445-3267.