Felix Ljosa has a plan: Graduate from CCV with an associate in STEM studies, transfer to a bachelor’s program in Norway, complete a master’s degree, complete a doctoral degree, and go into a research-based career in the field of biology.
But Felix didn’t always have such a clear sense of direction. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so college wasn’t really something on my mind,” said Felix, a former homeschool student. “In my high school years I actually didn’t have much of a plan. When I was a kid, I definitely wanted to be a scientist, and then I kind of fell out of that.” He had an interest in art, and also in music.
Enter Dual Enrollment, which allows Vermont high school students to take two free college courses during their junior or senior year. “The dual enrollment program is really helpful for figuring out what it is you want to do. So if you start from a place where you’re not really sure where you’re gonna go, dual enrollment can offer a chance to sort of dip your toes in and see what kind of subjects you like taking classes in and what you want to pursue. That was the biggest benefit for me.”
Dual Enrollment was also appealing because it offered the chance to get on the path to a free associate degree through Early College and the Free Degree Promise. “Just the fact that it was determined and there was a path,” he said, “instead of the ‘I have no idea what’s gonna happen’ kind of idea, and the promise of actually getting a degree that could serve me some purpose.”
After taking his two free dual enrollment classes in digital animation and English composition, Felix continued at CCV through Early College, a state-sponsored program that allows seniors to complete their last year of high school and first year of college simultaneously, and tuition-free. After successfully completing Early College, he was eligible to stay at CCV for a second year and is now one semester away from earning a free associate degree through the Free Degree Promise. “I had some directions that I kind of wanted to go, but found out now after being in college for a bit that I actually do want to do science.”
A dual citizen of the U.S. and Norway, Felix has his sights set on transferring to the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. He explained that students from the U.S. need to have completed high school and two years of college to gain entrance to a Norwegian university. “So this allows me a really good chance to do that.”
Felix is seriously curious, and sees a STEM career as an opportunity to feed that curiosity. “The research field is exciting because you get to discover new things and work on new projects all the time…I think topics get more interesting the more in-depth you get into them, so it’s like I don’t want to be bored with surface-level stuff, so I’m just like ‘I’m gonna dive deep into everything.’”
“The desire for knowledge is never satiated.”
Spring classes start January 26. Visit ccv.edu/schedule to view our course offerings and get started.
