As Washtenaw Community College prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary, we recognize the thousands of alumni who turned opportunity into achievement. For six decades, WCC has opened doors to education, careers, and brighter futures — and these 60 Stories that will be compiled over the year reflect that enduring mission.
Not many people can boast of earning a college degree before their high school diploma. But that accomplishment is one of Annie Peurach’s most favorite fun facts about herself.
In 2017, Peurach earned an associate degree from Washtenaw Community College one day before walking across the stage to receive her high school diploma. The benefits of her dual enrollment experience as a Washtenaw Technical Middle College and WCC student are almost immeasurable.
Less than five years after her high school graduation, Peurach had already earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, spent a year working and living in France, and had been hired to teach French to middle and elementary students at Emerson School in Ann Arbor.
The jump start allowed her to graduate debt-free from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
WTMC, a charter high school located on the WCC campus, emphasizes soft skills through an advising model that nurtures and guides students, preparing them to transition from high school-only courses to a full college schedule.
“I often think about what my life would have been like had I not attended WTMC. I may have followed the same path, but I would not have been confident in myself or my abilities,” says Peurach, who describes herself as “barely staying afloat” in the public schools before enrolling at WTMC as a junior.
WTMC students graduate with at least one college certificate or associate degree, along with their high school diploma. In fact, it’s a requirement to graduate.
Roughly 85% of WTMC graduates also earned a WCC associate degree and an average of 67 hours of transferrable college credits, at no cost as a WTMC student.
In addition to WTMC, Washtenaw Community College has multiple early middle college partnerships and other dual-enrollment opportunities.
This story was first published in the Summer 2022 edition of Launch magazine. See full edition.
Tags: 60 Stories, 60th Anniversary, Dual-Enrollment, Washtenaw Technical Middle College