Officials from Conwell-Egan Catholic High School (CEC) in Bucks County and Immaculata University joined to sign an official agreement that entered both schools into a collaborative educational partnership that offers dual enrollment courses and an Academic and Career Academy for CEC students.

With the partnership, Immaculata will provide three unique opportunities for CEC students to enroll in dual enrollment courses:

• Immaculata University Onsite Courses at Conwell-Egan Catholic High School
• Immaculata Online Scholars Program
• Summer Scholars Program

Also, the new Academic and Career Academy is divided into four groupings to provide perspective to students based upon their interests. The four groups are STEM, health sciences and nursing, arts education, social sciences and humanities, and business. During their four years of high school, CEC students will explore these four areas with the expert assistance of Immaculata’s career development staff, faculty, students, alumni, and employer representatives.

“We are proud to offer this unique opportunity to the high school students at Conwell-Egan,” said Dr. Angela Tekely, vice president for academic affairs and provost at Immaculata. “Our goal for the Academic and Career Academy is to provide an immersive and enjoyable experience so the students can explore academic and career pathways before entering college.”

Starting this fall, freshmen from CEC will visit Immaculata and participate in presentations from each of the four academic clusters. During their sophomore year, students will select two groups where they will listen to current students and alumni regarding their experiences and will discuss various professions from experts on an employer panel. During their junior year, students join two groups of their interest and attend hands-on class sessions. By the time students reach their senior year, students can delve more fully into an area of interest and discuss various pathways to a career. Faculty will address skills needed, opportunities within the field, and options for graduate school.

“We are thrilled to partner with Immaculata and offer yet another opportunity for our students to discover their leadership potential and make informed college and career decisions,” said CEC principal Matthew Fischer. “Our goal is to enable all CEC students to achieve success by developing their skills through concrete experience, observation and reflection, and careful guidance throughout their high school journey. The opportunity for students to gain valuable insight, apply their knowledge, and learn how to cultivate their passion is integral to CEC’s mission to develop leaders.”

“The partnership between Conwell-Egan Catholic High School and Immaculata University is another wonderful example of our school leaders exploring innovative educational opportunities for our students,” said Sister Maureen Lawrence McDermott, Chief Academic Officer and Superintendent of Secondary Schools for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office of Catholic Education. “This collaborative initiative aligns beautifully with Conwell-Egan Catholic’s Center for Student Leadership whose mission is to prepare their students for success beyond their high school career.”