I don’t have to look far on our campus to find students who began their journey at Sinclair Community College but quickly made the University of Dayton their home, too.
They arrive with a foot in two campuses, and they’re everywhere. They conduct research with professors in our labs. They compete on championship intramural teams. They march with the Pride of Dayton. They study in Roesch Library, work out at the RecPlex, and worship in the chapel.
Students like Camryn Vaught, who graduates from UD with a pre-med degree this weekend, are woven into the fabric of the University from day one, with two ID cards, two advisers and a multitude of opportunities.
“You’re in the final stretch,” Camryn told a roomful of newly minted Sinclair graduates at a recent UD Sinclair Academy celebration welcoming students who will now complete their final two years of classes at UD. “Two years ago, I was in your position. I can give you one piece of advice. It’s two words: ‘Say yes.’”
For Camryn, saying yes meant serving as a peer tutor and orientation leader and joining the UD Sinclair Leadership Council, where she helped strengthen connections among students navigating both campuses.
“Be the one who’s always asking questions,” she told the students. “Treat each opportunity like it’s your first day. Curiosity will be your best friend.”
The UD Sinclair Academy is marking its 10th anniversary with an exclamation point. More than 250 students have earned a UD degree through the program, with nearly 80% staying in the Dayton region after graduation.
This fall, we will welcome 71 Sinclair graduates, the largest class in the program’s history and, as Sinclair President Steven Johnson joked, “the best class ever.” He says that every year, but it rings true. These are highly prepared, highly supported students ready to be leaders.
As families look for ways to reduce the cost of college, the UD Sinclair Academy is putting a bachelor’s degree in the reach of more talented students. The program has become a national model for a public-private partnership. Where else can students receive an elite education across two nationally recognized institutions located less than two miles apart?
“You can’t go a day anymore without hearing about higher education in the media, and it’s mostly negative. What can get lost is the fundamental question of the value of higher education for our economy, society and human flourishing,” said Darlene Weaver, UD’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, at the celebration.
“A college education is a launching pad for changing the trajectory of people’s lives. You will have the opportunity to engage in high-impact learning,” she told the students. “You are always just one conversation away from an internship, a co-op, a study-abroad experience or a leadership opportunity on campus.”
Two degrees. Two homes. One extraordinary education.
(Photo credit: Alex Parks)