Two Mauldin High School graduating seniors – Caroline Wilson and Hunter Wilson -- have become the first students to enter the “Expressway to Tiger Town” and were recognized during a special signing ceremony held at the school on April 25, 2023. The pathway, a partnership between Greenville County Schools, Greenville Technical College, and the Clemson University College of Education leads directly from high school through Greenville Technical College to a degree in education from Clemson University.
Students begin taking dual credit courses through Greenville Technical College as early as the 10th grade, completing one year of college before high school graduation. Students then spend a year on a Greenville Technical College campus, completing the second year of college. Those meeting requirements receive automatic acceptance to Clemson University, where they finish their third and four years of college, earning a teacher preparation bachelor’s degree. The pathway allows a student to complete a bachelor’s degree three years out of high school or to spend an additional year at Clemson to earn a master’s degree and the additional knowledge, training and pay that come with it.
This collaborative effort among all levels of education is designed to impact the teacher shortage by helping Greenville County Schools grow their own teachers. With Greenville County Schools expecting to hire more than 500 teachers per year, Expressway to Tiger Town allows those who are committed and dedicated to education to quickly gain the credentials to lead the classroom.
“We are grateful to Greenville County Schools for working with us to see that their high school students can take college classes at Greenville Tech with books and tuition fully covered by the school district. This broadens access to the Expressway to Tiger Town initiative,” said Dr. Larry Miller, vice president of learning and workforce development at Greenville Technical College. “We are also grateful to Clemson University for working diligently behind the scenes to create this streamlined model by implementing articulation agreements so that the next generation of teachers can be welcomed to their campus.”