ABOVE PHOTO: Mitch Orlovsky, one of three CVTC High School Academy specialist advisors, helps high school students determine if taking college courses during high school is right for them.
Mitch Orlovsky said he still hears people refer to Chippewa Valley Technical College as a “tech school.”
But CVTC, like other technical colleges, continues to evolve with the times, said the CVTC High School Academy Specialist Advisor.
“Maybe we’re just exploring, maybe we have a clear future that we’re headed toward, or maybe they want to go to a four-year university, but they’re not sure what any of that looks like.
They add and sunset programs based on community needs, and they’ve been designed to pivot on a dime.
In its evolution, CVTC has seen the need to offer college education to high school students and make it easier for students at CVTC to transfer to universities if they choose.
Orlovsky is the face at the beginning of that journey for middle and high school students in the CVTC district.
“We advise students based on their intent,” Orlovsky said. “Maybe we’re just exploring, maybe we have a clear future that we’re headed toward, or maybe they want to go to a four-year university, but they’re not sure what any of that looks like.
“We have different advice for them based on their intent.”
When Orlovsky visits high school classrooms, he explains to students that they can take college courses now, at no cost to them, and the benefits are numerous.
If students take college courses while they’re still in high school, Orlovsky makes sure those courses satisfy high school requirements at the same time. It also allows students to try something in those college courses and determine if it’s education and a career they’d like to pursue after high school. Plus, the credits they earn at CVTC while in high school are credits toward a degree at CVTC or are likely to transfer to a university.
When students come to CVTC knowing they want to transfer to a university after their first two years, we have great transfer options for them as well.
Sarah Schliesmann, UW Transfer academic advisor, said her first order of business is connecting with students who enter CVTC in the University Transfer Liberal Arts program, which is a fancy way of saying those students will take general classes for two years at CVTC, earn an associate degree and plan to transfer to a university to earn a bachelor’s degree.
“To start, just having a conversation with students and educating them about what it means to graduate with a bachelor’s degree is huge,” she said. “For us, it’s so important to have that conversation right away, before students start registering for classes to make sure they’re setting themselves up for success based on their goals and what pathway will fit them the best.
“This isn’t a one-size-fits-all.”
