El Paso Community College (EPCC) welcomed attendees to the 12th Annual Building Bridges Dual Credit Conference on Friday, an event that opened its doors far beyond the bounds of typical academic gatherings to encompass teachers, counselors, and advisors from all forms of secondary education, as reported by EPCC News. This conference wasn't an exclusive affair for just those involved with Early College High Schools (ECHS), Dual Credit, or Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools (P-TECH), but it beckoned calls from educators across various institutions.
According to EPCC News, with Educate Texas representatives in attendance, a partnership that has endured since the conference's inauguration, the event highlighted the substantial role these educational programs play, notably the 18 ECHS and 21 P-TECH programs, which collectively cater to over 10,000 students, the substantial figure representing around 39 percent of EPCC's total enrollment.
Dr. Steven Smith, EPCC Vice President of Instruction and Workforce Education, lauded the success rates in El Paso while speaking at the conference, "Every step along the way has been amazing, we're proud of the fact that success rates started higher in El Paso than elsewhere in the State of Texas, it's been phenomenal working with you and the fantastic work you have done," he expressed, as per EPCC News. Meanwhile, EPCC Dean of Dual Credit and Early College High Schools, Tonie Badillo, shared her appreciation for the collaborative spirit that fuels the event and acknowledged the conference's founding figure, Sue Selk, who initiated this vital gathering of minds.
This year's conference featured an array of sessions focused on expanding educational resources and supporting student achievement, from harnessing library services to integrating cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for career exploration, the latter signaling the shifting tides in modern education practices, and they didn't just throw stuff together here there was the true intention behind each workshop, meant to fuse innovative methods with practical educator and student needs, Tonie Badillo remarked in an interview with EPCC News, "So incredibly proud for the collaboration and support, and also incredibly thankful to Sue Selk because she started this conference even before I became the Dean."
