New Pathway Programs Make Transition to College Easier for Clovis Students

FRESNO, Calif. – Students in Clovis Unified School District who are interested in health care careers now have several pathway programs available to help them make an easier transition into college.
Through a partnership with Clovis Community College, students can choose one of six programs to help them begin taking courses in high school that will prepare them – and sometimes satisfy prerequisite courses – for health care careers that are in high demand.
With a $50,000 grant from the California State University system’s Linked Learning to Baccalaureate program received last year, Clovis Community College created pathway programs for pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-optometry, pre-physician assistant, pre-veterinary, and pre-pharmacy careers.

“The concept behind our pathway programs is to help high school students begin focusing on career preparation earlier in their education to potentially reduce the amount of time and lower the cost of their college education,” said Deborah Ikeda, President for Clovis Community College.

The counselors at Clovis Unified School District and Clovis Community College collaborated to create a roadmap to show students how their high school classes link to the necessary classes required in junior college for each career option.

“Providing our students with pathways to successful careers, especially in health care, is a high priority in our district and our partnership with Clovis Community College has been very well-received by our students, teachers, and counselors,” stated Dr. Janet Young, Superintendent for Clovis Unified School District. “We have created Medical Career pathway programs at Clovis high schools to further prepare our students for college health care provider programs.”

Upon enrolling at Clovis Community College, counselors provide health sciences students with another roadmap of courses to ensure they meet the transfer requirements to four year colleges and post-graduate health provider programs.
Although the pathway programs were developed in partnership with CUSD, any qualifying student can pursue our pre-health professional transfer programs at Clovis Community College, stated Ikeda.
Pre-pharmacy students at Clovis Community College (CCC) have an even greater opportunity through the current agreement with California Health Sciences University (CHSU) College of Pharmacy in Clovis. After successfully completing the CCC courses that meet the prerequisite requirements for the pharmacy program at CHSU and upon receiving their bachelor’s degree from another college, up to twenty students an academic year will be granted a reserved seat in the Doctor of Pharmacy program.

“With the high demand for health care providers in this region and the number of local, talented students we have, we are very pleased to partner with Clovis Community College and Clovis Unified to keep our talent here in the Valley,” stated Florence Dunn, President for California Health Sciences University. “We are so confident in the success of these pathway programs that we’re working towards changing our program requirements from bachelor degree required to preferred, starting in fall 2017.“

Dunn hopes more Valley students will consider becoming a pharmacist now that they have a shorter and more affordable option here locally.
Several students have already begun taking classes at Clovis Community College to meet the transfer requirements for the CHSU College of Pharmacy.
Elijah Xiong, Buchanan High School graduate from the class of 2014, is one of the first 20 students to participate in the pathway program with Clovis Community College and California Health Sciences University.
Xiong’s commitment will be commemorated at a signing ceremony in witness of his family, all counselors from Clovis Unified School District, and the leaders of the three institutions on November 2 during the CUSD Counselor’s Conference. Participants from the ceremony will be available for interviews immediately following the event. Details below.
Signing Ceremony
Event: Transfer Admissions Agreement Signing Ceremony
Who: Dr. Janet Young, Superintendent for Clovis Unified School District; Deborah Ikeda, President for Clovis Community College; Florence Dunn, President for California Health Sciences University; Elijah Xiong, Clovis Community College student
When: 8:00 a.m. Monday, November 2, 2015
Where: Clovis North High School Conference Hall, 2770 E International Ave, Fresno, CA 93730
For more information about the Clovis Community College pathway programs, please contact Stefanie Adams, Counselor, at Stefanie.adams@scccd.edu.