Fairview High Mechatronics Students Graduate with Dual Diploma Credits

Published June 15, 2018

Five Fairview High students are making history by becoming the first to earn a technical certificate for their work in the school’s mechatronics program.

“We started the program two years ago with the dream of having students complete their associate’s degree from Columbia State Community College while also receiving their high school diploma,” said FVHS mechatronics department chair Kevin Sizemore. “We thought it would take us three to four years to get to this point, but the five students that just graduated completed enough hours in the field of mechatronics to earn a technical certificate from Columbia State.”

Zachary Cox, Gabriel DaSilva, Corbin Hughes, Jeffery Perez and Brandon Smith all earned the 21 credit hours required to earn the technical certificate, which is a major stepping stone toward earning their associate’s degree.

“Those five students officially received a Technical Certificate in Engineering Systems Technology from Columbia State,” Sizemore said. “The students can enter the workforce directly, continue at Columbia State to finish their associate’s degree in about one or two more semesters of coursework, or possibly use the earned credits to go to a four-year school this fall.”

By knocking out a large portion of the needed credit hours, the options in front of these students are nearly limitless.

“The pathways this has created for them are unlimited and gives many options when deciding what to do after graduating from Fairview High School,” Sizemore said.