Midland College (MC) and Texas A&M University (TAMU) are coming up on the third successful semester of the Texas A&M-Concho Engineering Academy at Midland College, Midland College said in November.
In January, four students will transition to TAMU in College Station to continue their engineering degrees, having completed three successful semesters at the Texas A&M-Concho Engineering Academy, Midland College said in a Nov. 24 release.
Last August, the academy welcomed the second wave of new students into its halls. Students in the academy are enrolled in Midland College and TAMU simultaneously. They can complete their general education courses from at MC on its main campus or online while also taking in-person TAMU engineering courses taught by TAMU College of Engineering faculty assigned to teach in Midland.
"I applied for the A&M professor of practice position because it was a great opportunity to instruct students at the college level," David McCarroll, the TAMU professor of practice at Midland, said in the release. "In fact, this is a dream job. I'm able to mentor future engineers, help them choose a major and really get to know them," McCarroll said in the release. "The students in Midland are hardworking, and I've had fun over the past three months teaching and advising them."
Most students who maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA will transition into one of 22 engineering majors offered at TAMU in College Station after two to four semesters, Midland said in the release.
TAMU operates six engineering academies in Texas, including the one at Midland College. McCarroll said students who attend TAMU academies have advantages over those attending TAMU as freshmen.
"The cost savings are tremendous, and the students receive more individualized instruction," he said in the release. "Also, they have multiple options to transition into a major."